Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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Government committed to tackling problem gambling

Government committed to tackling problem gambling

DEPARTMENT FOR CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT News Release (106/07) issued by The Government News Network on 19 September 2007

The Government has announced a review of the funding for gambling research, treatment and public education, and reiterated its ongoing commitment to tackling problem gambling, as the Gambling Commission published a survey today showing that levels of problem gambling have remained constant over the past seven years.

The study, published by the Gambling Commission, found that rates of problem gambling had remained at 0.6 per cent of the adult population since the last survey in 1999, confirming that Britain still has one of the lowest rates of problem gambling anywhere in the world. The findings come two weeks into the implementation of the Gambling Act 2005, which brought in one of the toughest regulatory regimes in the world.

The Government made clear today however, that the report's findings are not grounds for complacency and that it remains focused on protecting children and vulnerable people. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has asked the Gambling Commission to carry out a review of the effectiveness and level of the current voluntary arrangements for the industry's funding for gambling research, treatment and public education.

DCMS Minister Gerry Sutcliffe said:

"I welcome the Gambling Commission's prevalence survey, which establishes a useful benchmark against which we can assess the effectiveness of the new Gambling Act.

"While the results show that problem gambling still only affects a small minority of people, it remains a serious issue, and one which must be addressed.

"The gambling industry has a responsibility to make the right level of funding available to treat those who are harmed by its products. And we owe it to the public to make sure that they have ready access to the facts that they need to make informed choices about gambling, to help reduce the risks.

"I have therefore asked the Gambling Commission to review the current voluntary arrangements for industry funding of gambling research, treatment and public education. I expect the Commission's review to include comment on funding levels, how the money is spent, and whether a statutory levy should be considered.

"The Gambling Act has brought in tough regulatory powers. We will continue to monitor the situation closely, and will not hesitate to regulate further if needed."

As well as the review of funding, a number of other measures are being taken:

* The Gambling Commission is already planning a programme of research to follow the prevalence survey and find out more about the risks and causes of problem gambling, to help target future regulation and enforcement.

* The Government is continuing to work with partners in Europe and beyond to encourage the adoption of measures to protect children and vulnerable people, keep out crime and keep gambling fair.

* The Gambling Commission is ensuring that people have access to the information they need to make informed choices about where to gamble. This includes, already underway, a rolling programme of 'mystery shopping' by the Gambling Commission to test age verification procedures.

* The Government continues to look to the Gambling Commission, banks and other financial service providers and gambling operators to ensure that as much as possible is done to ensure that, for the minority of users who may be at risk, there are adequate safeguards on the use of credit cards for online gambling.

Notes to Editors

1. The Gambling Prevalence Survey was published by the Gambling Commission and is available on their website http://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk

2. The Gambling Act 2005 came into force on 1 September 2007. It aims to keep gambling fair, crime free and protect children and vulnerable people.

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