EXCLUSIVE: East Midlands problem gambling clinic gets hundreds of referrals since opening last year
52,000 calls and online chats were made to national gambling helpline GamCare in 2023 - the most ever on record.
Last updated 8th Apr 2024
We can exclusively reveal a clinic set up to help people in the East Midlands with serious gambling addictions has already received hundreds of referrals since opening last year.
Our research shows there's been over 200 referrals made to The East Midlands Gambling Harms Service, which only became fully operational in September 2023.
The service offers specialised treatment and support for those struggling with serious gambling problems across Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire and Rutland.
The centre is one of the NHS's seven newest gambling harms clinics that were announced in response to record referrals and demand for support with gambling problems.
Clinics in Milton Keynes, Thurrock, Bristol, Liverpool, Blackpool, and Sheffield were also announced, taking the total amount of gambling clinics to 15 across England.
Between 2022 and 2023, there were 1,389 referrals to NHS gambling clinics in England. That was a 79% rise on two years earlier.
Last month, the NHS revealed the number of people being referred to specialist clinics jumped by more than 50% in just a year.
It comes after the national gambling helpline GamCare said it received 52,370 calls and online chats in 2023 - the most ever recorded.
A spokesperson for The Betting and Gaming Council, which represents the majority of betting shops, online betting and gaming, said: “BGC members each year contribute tens of millions of pounds towards Research, Prevention and Treatment (RPT) to help prevent gambling related harm and tackle problem gambling, which is currently paid through a unique voluntary levy scheme. This funds an independent network of charities which treats around 85 per cent of all problem gamblers receiving treatment in Britain.
“Our four largest members alone pledged £110 million to be administered by GambleAware between 2019 and 2024 to fund this charity network and its work. All RPT donations only go to charities accredited by the Gambling Commission, including GamCare, Gordon Moody and YGAM, to deliver these services and BGC members have no say on how this funding is spent.
“Advertising must comply with strict guidelines and safer gambling messaging, which promotes safer gambling tools like time outs, deposit limits and self-exclusion while signposting help to those concerned about their betting, is regularly and prominently displayed. The Government has previously stated research did not establish a causal link between exposure to advertising and the development of problem gambling.
“The BGC also welcomed the Government’s recent decision on new stake limits for online slots games, which provide enhanced protections for young people.
“Each month in Great Britain around 22.5m adults have a bet and the most recent NHS Health Survey for England estimated that 0.4 per cent of the adult population are problem gamblers.”
If you, or someone you know is struggling with problem gambling or gambling addiction, you can find help via the NHS website, the GamCare support helpline or the East Midlands Gambling Harms Service webpage.
All this week we'll be continuing our investigation into problem gambling in the East Midlands on-air and on our website.