From 50p bet to £250k in gambling losses

A man who says his life was “destroyed” by gambling now helps others confront their problem gambling.

At 15-years-of-age, Colin Brown accrued a small win from a 50p slot machine wager. Now 42, he reckons to have lost more than £250,000 to the gambling industry.

Last week, the Government announced new measures to tackle gambling-related harm, including a limit to online slots stakes and a £100 million statutory levy on operators to fund research, prevention and treatment.

Consequences

Brown lost £3,500 on a single roulette spin, spent £1,500 in three minutes online, and relied on family to pay off his gambling debts.

He said: “I wouldn’t buy anything for myself and my fridge would be bare because I would rather spend money on a bet”.

“Gambling destroyed my life, my relationships and my trust with people but you can rebuild it, so that’s the message I’m trying to get across to people,” he added.

Commenting on Gambling Minister Baroness Twycross’s announcement, he said the Government needed to take action and “take gambling more seriously”.

New rules

In its announcement, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said that highly-addictive online slots, which are associated with “large losses, long sessions, and binge play”, will have stake limits placed upon them.

These will be set at £2 per spin for adults under 25 and £5 per spin for those aged over 25. This reflects evidence which shows that young adults can be particularly vulnerable to the dangers of gambling.

The Department also gave details of the statutory levy which will now be placed on gambling firms. All operators who hold a Gambling Commission licence must contribute a fee ranging from 1.1 per cent to 0.1 per cent of its Gross Gambling Yield, or equivalent, depending on the sector.

It is expected to generate £100 million, half of which will go directly to the NHS.

‘Right direction’

After July’s General Election, Christian Institute Director Ciarán Kelly wrote to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy asking for online stakes to be reduced to a two pound limit.

He called last week’s announcement “a big step in the right direction”.

Over £15 billion was raked in by the gambling industry last year, and the estimated cost to society is between 1 and 1.8 billion pounds.

‘Prohibitionists’

Grainne Hurst, Chief Executive at the Betting and Gaming Council, accused the Government of “simply dancing to the tune of anti-gambling prohibitionists”.

But GamCare, a charity that seeks to help people with a gambling problem, said: “With a record 55,000 people calling the National Gambling Helpline last year alone, now is the right time for this important clarity on the future system”.

It added: “Just as we welcome this renewed focus on treatment, we recognise the importance of protecting vulnerable people, particularly children, before harms escalate.”

CI letter

In September, in response to the letter from The Christian Institute, Lady Twycross said the Government remains committed to its manifesto pledge on reforming gambling legislation.

The Institute, which has been campaigning on the issue for over two decades, had advised Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy of three areas where quick effective action could be taken: gambling advertising, child protection, and online stakes.

The Gambling Minister responded: “The Government recognises the impact harmful gambling can have on individuals and their families and, as stated in its manifesto, is committed to strengthening the protections for those at risk.

“We are in the early stages of the new Government and are still considering the full range of gambling policy. We will consider the best available evidence from a wide range of sources to inform decisions on how best to fulfil the manifesto commitment.”