NI urged to take action as ‘serious gap’ on gambling treatment addressed

Northern Irish politicians have expressed alarm at the levels of gambling harm reported in the 2024 Gambling Prevalence Survey.

One of the most significant findings is the low number of people seeking help, with just 1% of those who partake in gambling accessing support or information from betting or mental health services. 

Commissioned by the Department for Communities, the survey has led Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan, Chair of The All Party Group on Reducing Harm Related to Gambling, to urge the government to take action amid a political stalemate on gambling reform.

McGuigan said: “The Minister of Health must act without delay to commission dedicated gambling treatment services. With existing addiction services already under pressure, additional funding is essential. 

“The findings of this survey point to a serious gap in provision for addiction treatment in the north. The need is clearly there, but people aren’t getting the help they need.”

Concerning numbers and slow politics

A total 3% of the country’s population are experiencing what the report described as severe gambling-related harms, whilst a further 10% are considered low or moderate risk gamblers. 

Another important figure to note is the amount of adults who gambled in the past 12 months who admitted to betting more than they could afford to lose, which stands at around one in seven.

McGuigan highlighted that the figures underscore the serious social and public health implications of gambling addiction. 

The politician has been a vocal figure in calling for gambling reform in Northern Ireland, where the industry is governed by the decades old Betting, Gaming, Lotteries & Amusements Order of 1985,

“This isn’t just about individuals losing money; it’s about broken families, damaged relationships, and communities struggling with the fallout of gambling harms,” he continued on the findings of the prevalence survey.

Ripple effects

The survey highlighted that one in eight people admitted needing to gamble increasing amounts to achieve a high level of excitement, and nearly one in 12 said gambling had caused stress and anxiety.

Meanwhile, the survey also found that 10% of people affected by gambling had experienced the breakdown of a close relationship due to someone’s gambling.

McGuigan is now asking the Minister for Communities to bring forward the promised levy on land-based gambling operators without delay to address the funding gap. 

Additionally, he has criticised the British Government for excluding Northern Ireland from the proceeds of the statutory levy on gambling operators introduced in Britain on 6 April.

Finally, the Chair has urged the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to implement tighter ad restrictions after the survey revealed 66% of respondents believe there are too many gambling promotions, and 71% support a watershed for gambling ads on TV and radio.

As stated above, McGuigan is one of the more notable politicians vocally calling for gambling reform in Northern Ireland. It was only in November last year that McGuigan urged DCMS to intervene and align online gambling advertising protections for Northern Ireland with the rest of the UK.

The demand was made by members of the All-Party Group of the Stormont Assembly on Gambling Harms Reduction, who wrote to Secretary of State Lisa Nandy to “bridge the gap on gambling advertising.”