On 13 March, the Social Market Foundation released a briefing paper titled The Case for a Statutory Gambling Levy. Dr Adrian James, President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, responded:
“Urgent action is needed to tackle the destructive consequences of gambling. While not everyone who gambles will develop a disorder, those who do are more vulnerable to significant mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.
“The imposition of a levy as part of a robust and enforceable regulation regime is consistent with the principle that if you are making money from activities that go on to cause harm, then you help fund attempts to address those harms. This ensures greater access to specialist services for those with a gambling addiction while also helping to tackle the broader harms that gambling can cause to individuals, their families and wider society. Backing further independently-funded research is also key to better understanding gambling disorders.”
For further information, please contact:
- Email: press@rcpsych.ac.uk
- Twitter: @rcpsych
- Out-of-hours contact number: 07860 755896