Gambling Industry Not Negatively Influencing Research, Says DMO
Public health groups have strongly responded to assertions made in parliament that the gambling industry negatively influences research on harm and addiction.
Gambling research is not negatively impacted by the industry. © Seve Sawusch, Unsplash
Key Facts:
- Deal Me Out (DMO) has written to the Health and Social Care Select Committee in response to a recent hearing
- Heather Wardle and Sam Chamberlain are criticised in the letter
- Groups such as BetBlocker, EPIC Global Solutions, Gordon Moody and the Player Protection Hub have signed the letter
- DMO highlights work with children in UK schools
DMO delivers a national education and gambling harms awareness programme for Wales.
The body has penned a letter supported by other gambling groups, including BetBlocker, EPIC Global Solutions and the Player Protection Hub.
They were responding to a hearing of the Health and Social Care Select Committee held in April, at which various experts gave evidence on gambling-related harm.
MPs on the select committee then wrote to the Department of Health and Social Care to recommend a range of reforms for the sector.
However, in a letter addressed to the committee, DMO and other groups have argued that the hearing did not get a full picture of gambling-related harm research.
Outdated View
Some of the best-known gambling industry experts, including the professors Heather Wardle and Sam Chamberlain and Lucy Hubber, were singled out for criticism.
DMO’s letter said: “Our main concern is the repeated assertion by Professors Heather Wardle and Sam Chamberlain, and Lucy Hubber that the gambling industry is somehow negatively influencing research and treatment of gambling harm.”
“This is – at best – outdated, and at worst, fiction.”
“To help address this imbalance we are providing accurate and updated information from the organisations at the forefront of treating and preventing gambling-related harms. We would be happy to brief you and Committee members to give you a full picture of the situation.”
DMO added it is “absolute fantasy” to suggest that the gambling industry has a negative influence on research into addiction and harm.
Raise Public Awareness
DMO went on to note that the majority of people in the UK already view gambling as normal, so any concerns about the normalisation of betting are too late.
The letter from the public health groups added: “It is only via the normalisation of gambling that we can hope to raise public awareness of the risks of gambling and the tools and strategies that can keep people safe.”
“Despite their good intentions they are amplifying the stigma around gambling harm and cutting off resources that could be used to reduce harm.”
“We reject the language of stigmatisation and argue passionately that the only way to fight the harm caused by gambling is for politicians, regulators, treatment services, researchers, those with lived experience, the media and the gambling industry to work together.”
Deal Me Out also pointed out how organisations such as EPIC Global Solutions have worked in schools for many years to reduce the level of impact of gambling harms from an early age.
Satisfaction scores for the programme have been over 95%, it said.
