Report of the Interim Director of Public Health

This report includes a summary of key findings from the Public Health England Gambling-related harms Evidence Review and the recently published Greater Manchester Strategic Needs Assessment on Gambling Related Harms.

The report further provides an overview of work taking place in Manchester, some of which is delivered in collaboration with the Greater Manchester Gambling Related Harms programme.    

The Committee considered the report of the Interim Deputy Director of Public Health that provided an update on the national, regional, and local context of Gambling Related Harms.

Key points and themes in the report included:

·         Providing a summary of the key findings from the Public Health England Gambling-related harms evidence review;

·         Information on the recently published Greater Manchester Strategic Needs Assessment on Gambling Related Harms;

·         Discussion of the epidemiology of gambling and associated harms;

·         Current prevalence of gambling, noting that the estimated prevalence of ‘problem gambling’ within the adult population was 0.5% in the United Kingdom, however this increased to 0.8% in Greater Manchester i.e.18,100 adults;

·         Harms associated with gambling, noting that research suggested that people living in the most deprived communities were nearly twice as likely to participate in gambling and were seven times more likely to experience problem gambling, compared with those living in the least deprived communities;

·         The impact of gambling harms on communities;

·         The work to prevent and reduce harm in Greater Manchester, including gambling treatment and support, and delivery of gambling related harms work;

·         Consideration of the estimated economic burden of gambling; and

·         Providing an overview of some of the activities that had taken place to support the strategic development of the gambling related harms programme both locally and sub-regionally.

Some of the key points that arose from the Committee’s discussions were: -

·         Welcoming the report and describing it as very informative;

·         Noting that it was important to articulate and highlight the harms associated with gambling;

·         Calling for further regulation of the gambling industry, with the support of local MPs with a similar approach to that taken against the wealthy tobacco industry;

·         Noting the prevalence of digital gambling where there was little or no regulation of this sector;

·         Commenting that betting shops operated as mini casinos and they tended to target the poorest areas;

·         Future reports should include deep dives of specific areas of the city to understand the full impact of gambling in local communities;

·         Expressing concern at the data presented in regard to the prevalence of gambling amongst the student population;

·         The Council should use all of its powers and influence, working across all Directorates to discourage gambling by exploring all opportunities to provide alternative entertainment and diversionary offers; increased enforcement of venues and premises where gambling was facilitated and appropriate consideration given to the proximity of gambling venues to other facilities;

·         All front line service workers needed to be trained to identify people who maybe experiencing difficulties associated with gambling; and 

·         Local prominent football teams in the city should be encouraged to support anti-gambling campaigns.

The Interim Deputy Director of Public Health stated that it was recognised that more needed to be done to increase front line workers awareness and knowledge of the issue of gambling related harms so that people could be signposted to the correct sources of support.

The Programme Lead, Public Health Team advised that the licensing function did monitor gambling premises and would respond to any concerns, however she added that currently the licensing regime was such that the presumption was to grant licenses for gambling premises unless a specific threshold could be proven. She further noted the concerns expressed regarding the proliferation of online gambling, noting that this had become normalised in society.

Matt Gaskell, NHS Gambling Treatment Service noted the comments raised by the Member in relation to the football industry and noted that many premier clubs were sponsored by wealthy and influential gambling companies which made it very difficult to engage with them on this issue. He further commented that a significant issue was the introduction of Fixed Odds Betting Terminals in betting shops, he stated that as the number of these were restricted in shops this accounted for the increase in the number of gambling premises. He also supported the observations and concern expressed in relation to online gambling. He commented that big tech used data to target people to maximise the amount of money they could extract from people, adding that the promotion of gambling as a leisure pursuit was not helpful. He further commented that the Authority could consider measures to restrict local advertising that promoted gambling.

The Executive Member for Healthy Manchester and Adult Social Care informed the Committee that this subject area had been recently considered and the approach in response to gambling related harms described had been endorsed by all partners of the Health and Wellbeing Board.

Decision

1. The Committee recommend that the Executive and Lead Officer across each Directorate use their powers and spheres of influence to limit access to gambling across the city.

2. The Committee recommend that any future update reports should include deep dives of specific areas of the city to understand the full impact of gambling in local communities.