Supporters of the reforms included in the previous government’s gambling white paper sent an open letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer in which they spoke out against a possible delay in the implementation of the policy paper’s statutory levy. As reported by the Guardian, these concerns were prompted after Labour neglected to include the levy in the King’s Speech, which was held on July 17th. If enacted, the levy would contribute an estimated £100 million to services surrounding research, prevention, and treatment of gambling harm annually.
According to signatories, the voluntary funding provided by the gambling industry thus far has been “inadequate,” and delaying the mandating of the statutory levy would result in an increase of gambling harm in the UK. This would, in turn, lead to more people losing their lives to gambling addiction. Moreover, signatories stressed that the levy has been supported by “all sides of the political debate,” along with NHS clinicians and academics whose expertise is in gambling harm.
The Guardian also highlighted that a survey conducted in 2023 revealed that the UK’s problem gambling rate might stand at around 2.5%, as opposed to the 0.3% suggested by previous estimates. The increased percentage was attributed to new and improved methodology, although its experimental nature was also emphasised on.
While Labour is yet to address the levy, a government spokesperson did say that Labour was committed to the reduction of gambling harm and improving the protections that aim to assist at-risk individuals.
The Risks of Gambling as Described by Former Liverpool Star
The UK’s football scene can serve as a good example of just how necessary it is for gambling harm services in the UK to be well-funded. Recently, Dominic Matteo, who used to play for Liverpool and the Scottish national football team, opened up about his own struggles with gambling addiction and how it affected his life. He and his wife, Jessica Matteo, have also joined forces with EPIC Global Solutions to raise awareness of gambling harm and encourage players to reach out if they are struggling.
When speaking with The Mirror, he described how betting on horses was commonplace among football clubs when he played. “When you’re betting after a few beers as well, it makes it even worse,” he added. He once had to pay £500,000 to a bookmaker after accumulating losses, and on one occasion, a single bet’s stake amounted to £200,000. Ultimately, Matteo was driven to bankruptcy after investment failures and amassing a gambling debt of £1,000,000. His family situation also struggled as a result, but as he has recovered, he and his wife are “a team again.”
The partnership with EPIC will see Matteo telling his story to various teams belonging to the English Football League (EFL), the Scottish Premiership, and Premiership Rugby. His wife, on the other hand, will talk about how his “gambling addiction affected her,” explained Matteo. He finished by saying the following: “Hopefully I can help people get to the root of their problem before they hit the point I got to. That’s the key and it doesn’t matter whether you bet £100 or a £100,000 a week – I’m happy to talk to anyone if it helps them.”
While Matteos’ gambling was limited to non-football markets, there are players whose addiction led to them wagering on the sport and even on their own teams. Brentford star Ivan Toney, for instance, was handed a fine and an eight-month suspension last year after it was discovered that he had placed 13 bets against his own team during the Premier League’s 2017-18 season, as well as numerous other football-related bets. Thankfully, he emerged victorious after his battle with addiction, and he is now playing professionally once again.
- Author
Daniel Williams
