Gambling
Understanding gambling and where to get help

Introduction
Gambling involves staking or risking something of value on an event with an uncertain or chance outcome. It can include:

  • Arcades
  • Betting (online, at an event or in a high street bookmakers)
  • Bingo (online or in a casino)
  • Lotteries (raffles, tombolas, sweepstakes etc)
  • Gaming machines (fruit machines, fixed odds betting terminals)

Gambling at a harmful level is any type of repetitive gambling that disrupts or damages personal, family or work life. A person experiencing gambling harms from harmful gambling products can experience physical and mental health impacts, such as anxiety, depression, and suicide risk. Relationship breakdowns, financial hardship and stigma can also be experienced. These can impact affected others such as family, friends, colleagues, and wider local communities.

What are the harms?
Gambling harms are any negative consequence of side effect experienced as a result of gambling.

This can include:

  • Mental Health and Wellbeing
  • Finances
  • Relationships
  • Education and employment
  • Crime and antisocial behaviours

Impacts are not only felt by the person who gambles but also affected others such as family and friends.

For example, financial challenges caused by gambling harms can be felt by the whole household and relationships breaking down can have legacy effects on children.

Signs and symptoms
Signs and symptoms of someone experiencing a gambling addiction include:

  • Gambling on another day to try and win back the money lost – chasing losses
  • Lying to conceal the extent and amount gambled
  • Feelings of guilt and gambling when distressed
  • Gambling more than one can afford to lose
  • Gambling with large amounts of money to get the same feeling of excitement
  • Borrowing money to gamble
  • Repeated unsuccessful attempts to cut back or stop gambling
  • Feelings of anger when losing money through gambling

Gambling and young people
Early gambling exposure is a risk factor for being impacted by gambling harms. Playing games that combine gambling and gaming is associated with increased risk for you.

There are many links between gaming and gambling that expose children and young people to gambling practices, including:

  • Skins – decorative virtual weapons, equipment or characters acquired in a game. They can be sold for real money on third party sites and can be used to place bets on e-sports and casino style games
  • Loot boxes – a virtual box containing random items such as a rare skin. Young people spending money on loot boxes are more likely to initiate gambling
  • Card packs – contain randomised in game items that are not visible to the player before they are opened, and can be purchased by in-game currency.

Treatment, Support and Blocking Tools for Gambling Harms
There are two treatment providers in the North East that you can access for free, both online and in person. These are:

  • The NHS Northern Gambling Service:The Northern Gambling Clinic provides specialist addiction therapy and recovery to people affected by gambling addiction.
  • NECA: NECA provide gambling advice and gambling support methods to help those experiencing harms to alter behaviours.

There are many free support services too:

  • Gamblers Anonymous provide local in-person support using the 12 steps approach to recovery.
  • The EPIC Restart Foundation is a lived experience led recovery programme to rebuild lives after gambling harm.
  • Chapter One is a charity for anyone experiencing gambling harms.
  • GamLearn is a lived experience network for those impacted directly and indirectly by gambling harms.

Support for friends and family members:

  • Gambling with Lives support people bereaved by gambling-related suicide.
  • GamFam is a charity for affected others offering suport through GRA5P, a 5-stage peer support programme.
  • Gam-Anon meetings are for anyone who has been affected by a loved one’s gambling.

Blocking tools:

  • You can exclude from betting shops for 12 months and can be done in person or via MOSES (multi operator self exclusion scheme).
  • Gamban blocks online gambling including websites and apps. This is free to UK residents via TalkBanStop.
  • GAMSTOP is a free service that will block opening or accessing gambling accounts in the person’s name with all licensed online UK gambling companies.
  • To self-exclude from casinos, join the SENSE scheme via the self-exclusion form.

You can find out about many more support services via this link: MECC Gateway