{"id":4217,"date":"2019-05-15T14:50:02","date_gmt":"2019-05-15T14:50:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.top10casinowebsites.net\/news\/?p=4217"},"modified":"2019-05-15T14:50:50","modified_gmt":"2019-05-15T14:50:50","slug":"uk-might-have-to-treat-gambling-addiction-as-a-public-health-emergency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.top10casinowebsites.net\/news\/uk-might-have-to-treat-gambling-addiction-as-a-public-health-emergency\/","title":{"rendered":"UK Might Have To Treat Gambling Addiction As A Public Health Emergency"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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UK Labour Party deputy leader Tom Watson<\/a> is sounding the alarm bells over what he calls a “hidden epidemic<\/em>” in the UK. Watson has gone on record to state that gambling addiction is a life-threatening public health issue that requires far more research and specialist treatment that is currently being offered. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The number of gambling addicts in the country continues to rise, with England having the worst problem with almost 400,000 problem gamblers recorded<\/strong>. A further two million people across England, Scotland and Wales are at risk of developing gambling addiction, according to figures from the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The issue of problem gambling also poses a threat to the UK economy. In a study conducted by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) in 2016<\/a>, it’s been revealed that gambling addiction consumes a huge chunk of the country’s resources. The cost of gambling addiction to the UK’s overall economy could reach \u00a31.2 billion each year, with hospital inpatient services related to problem gambling exhausting the largest amount of up to \u00a3610 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Professor Mark Griffiths<\/strong>, director of the International Gaming Research Unit at Nottingham Trent University Gambling said that gambling can be considered a valid form of leisure or entertainment only when it is contained and controlled responsibly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UK Laws “Unfit” for Digital Age <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tom Watson is hitting out at the lack of regulation in relation to online gambling operators and says that current laws are unfit for the digital generation. Labour Party’s gambling policies include setting stricter limits on stakes for online bettors and limiting the frequency at which games can be played.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tom Watson<\/strong>
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