UKGC approves £800k gambling prevention programme in Yorkshire
Three-year programme will focus on education and prevention measures for individuals and their families experiencing gambling-related harm
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has approved funding for a new regional public health programme in Yorkshire and the Humber where gambling rates are higher than the rest of the UK.
The programme, which is outlined over the course of three years, will be supported by a sum of £800,000 taken from regulatory settlements enforced by the Gambling Commission.
It will be led by public health directors in Yorkshire and the Humber and will be focused on education and prevention while providing access to support and treatment for individuals suffering from gambling harms and their families.
“We welcome this ambitious project across Yorkshire and Humber,” said UKGC executive director Tim Miller. “A well-planned, cohesive public health approach to tackling gambling harms is exactly what the National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms was designed to stimulate.”
The programme is aimed to improve the identification of problem gambling behaviour through training in workplaces and will direct gamblers to self-management and support.
It has pledged to protect high risk and vulnerable groups from gambling-related harm and work with individuals and communities to raise awareness and reduce stigma.
“We aim to deliver a gold standard programme that can be replicated across the UK,” said Greg Fell, chair of the Yorkshire and Humber harmful gambling working group.
“We are in the unique position of having a diverse population across city, town, rural and coastal environments, which offers the potential for an effective activity blueprint that could be used by other regions.