Instances of Gambling related addiction might be more prevalent than considered in previous years. More worrying is the indication that nearly half of those who suffer from a gambling addiction in the United Kingdom are not getting any help.
What’s driving the higher prevalence of gambling related disorders in the UK? And just how much of a problem is it becoming?
The Statistics
According to an observation made by data company, YouGov, and brought to light by the Guardian, about 2.7% of adults in Great Britain, which is estimated at close to 1.4 million people, had an addiction to gambling.
Specialists have issued a stern warning over this rather alarming statistic and have since postulated that the exact addiction rate edges more towards the health survey figures of 0.7% as per the Gambling Commission.
However, these results still show that the figure of problem gamblers may possibly be notably above recent estimates.
During its polling campaign, YouGov interviewed as many as 16,000 people for the study.
It was determined that as many as 7% of adults, or 3.6 million people, have been harmfully impacted by another person’s addiction to gambling.
In general, the examination pointed towards nearly 5 million British people who have faced problems related to.
The Gambling Commission stated that YouGov’s results overvalued the addiction rate, as it observed findings by a former Gamble Aware trustee, Prof Patrick Sturgis.
Sturgis stated that the YouGov surveys as well as the health survey figures had been flawed, with the correct number of gambling related issues to be closer to the generally used 0.7% estimation.
Support Is Almost Non Existent
The need of responsiveness of services as well as the negative misconceptions from gambling addiction had both been cited as major hurdles for those who would like treatment or support.
Significantly, it was also discovered that women are less likely to develop a gambling addiction than men, those who do mentioned difficulties related to fees, time or locality as a reason for not getting access to treatment or support.
The Impact of Addiction As a Whole
Addiction on the whole has many serious repercussions. Those affected frequently undergo physical and mental health struggles. It is an overwhelming concern that impacts both the person suffering from the condition as well as well as their family, friends, and co-workers.
On a societal front, people who are addicted to substances such as drugs and place needless stress on the public in general with an enormous weight placed on emergency services.
The National Health Services have stated that they are under massive when dealing with many cases of alcohol-related sicknesses as well as injuries on an annual basis. This is coupled with multiple drug-related situations that need to be addressed. Taxpayers are moreover burdened with financing court cases as well as law enforcement resources utilized when those who commit drug related crimes are put on trial and similarly those who act out of desperation to supply their habit.
A Legal Case Regarding Gambling Addiction as an Epidemic
Judge Rajeev Rama Shetty has in recent times portrayed cases related to gambling addictions as epidemical. He held the view that gambling addictions will be the next UK epidemic following addictions related to drug and alcohol.
Shetty was stated as saying that the public was flooded with adverts for gambling sites and that he has noticed a rise in cases related to gambling addiction.
Shetty made the announcement during the sentencing of a betting shop manager who was found guilty of stealing as much as £7,000 from the safe at his place of employment before betting the entire amount at a casino within two days.
The guilty party, Adam Keep, was employed at a bookmaker company in Surrey. Keep initially stole £3,000 from the company safe where he proceeded to go to a casino and lost the entire amount.
Keep hoped that he could win double the amount and replace the stolen money without anyone noticing. He then took another £4,000 the following day and unsuccessfully attempted to win the money he had lost. Keep had reportedly been suffering with gambling addiction from an early age.
Keep confessed the crime to his employers and was arrested. He rationalized his behaviour by thinking that if he got a bit more he would be able le to repay the amount but lost everything instead.
Keep pleaded guilty and was issued with a 12-month long prison sentence in addition to 200 hours of community service. He was also provided with a curfew for a period of six months, in addition to being homebound between the hours of 9pm and 6am daily.
Shetty concluded his judgement on the cases and said that drugs and alcohol are main problems in society, however he held the view that gambling seems to be the next epidemic.
Conclusion: The consequences of gambling addiction
Paul Spanjar, who runs a gambling rehab programme at the Providence Projects, knows all too well the devastation that problem gambling causes.
“I would say that during the COVID-19 pandemic, we noticed a spike in calls related to problem gambling. We saw a similar trend during the financial crisis in 2008, when finances begin to bite people turn to gambling. Not everyone who gambles becomes a problem gambler, but during times of stress and uncertainty, problem gambling becomes a bigger, cyclical problem”.
He added: “Gambling addiction is just as damaging as drug or alcohol addiction. Suicide rates are much higher in those with a gambling problem”.
Gambling addiction, just like any other addiction, can be devastating to families. As it is an addiction that needs regular access to money, it can lead to lots of financial problems for those involved.
Persons who develop a gambling addiction are often obsessed when the urge to gamble consumes them.
At most times they are aware that it will cause damage and hinder their lives, but the harsh reality is that they simply are not able to stop. The addicted persons will start to persuade themselves that if they would win their problems will be over.
These individuals will be snowed under by a seemingly unstoppable urge to gamble. However, it often happens they are left with nothing apart from feelings of embarrassment and shame as they start to comprehend the bad position they have found themselves in.
Sadly, many people such as Adam Keep will resort to desperate measures and indulge in criminal activities in the hopes of getting back what they lost. It is a ferocious sequence of events that carries on until the affected person gets assistance.