NHS Rejection of Gambling Funds Will Cost Addicts
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While most of us enjoy testing our luck on gambling websites from time to time, addiction is an ongoing issue in markets across the world. This is particularly true in the UK, where estimates suggest around 0.5% of adults suffer from compulsive gambling, representing around 246,000 people.
3% of these problem gamblers end up seeking help
According to a YouGov survey, only around 3% of these problem gamblers end up seeking help. Their main avenue for that support is through the National Health Service (NHS), which has upped its efforts to help gambling addicts in recent years, offering support groups and specialized clinics.
On Saturday, however, NHS mental health director Claire Murdoch announced that the body is cutting off a major source of its funding for that treatment. From April 1, the NHS will no longer accept cash from GambleAware, a charity mainly funded through voluntary donations from the gambling industry.
