20 Sep, 2021
The Gambling Commission has given £800,000 to a public health initiative.
It aspires to disseminate information on the hazards of gambling and connect those with gambling addiction to resources for help.
The Commission envisions this plan as a means to better identify problems through workplace training programmes, provide gamblers with self-management skills and referrals to treatment centres, and shield at-risk and vulnerable populations from negative outcomes associated with gambling.
"We welcome this ambitious project across Yorkshire and Humber," said Tim Miller, Executive Director of the Gambling Commission. The National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms was developed to encourage a methodical, coordinated public health strategy for addressing gambling-related problems.
As part of the National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms, "we are pleased to be able to approve the funding, which was agreed upon through regulatory settlements."
Directors of public health in the area will steer the campaign for its full three years, coordinating with communities and people to dispel myths and prejudice around problem gambling.
Greg Fell, chairman of the Yorkshire and Humber harmful gambling working group, said, "We aim to deliver a gold standard programme that can be replicated across the UK." Our population is unusual in that it spans urban, suburban, rural, and coastal settings; this diversity might provide a useful model for future planning.
Our efforts will be directed at reducing the adverse effects of gambling in high-poverty regions and among low-wage employees.
The statement follows an inquiry of the Gambling Commission's abilities and performance by the Parliamentary All-Party Betting & Gaming Group.
