Gambling Related Harms

Author Name: Anna Twelves                                                          Email: anna.twelves@sheffield.gov.uk

Published Date: June 2025                Date to Review: May 2027

Description: 

Gambling harms

As many as one in twelve people in the UK - that is around 5.5 million individuals – may be experiencing or at elevated risk of the harms from gambling industry products and practices. In Sheffield this equates to around 45,000 local residents. People affected by gambling harms include not only those who gamble but partners and spouses, children affected by a parent’s gambling and parents affected by a child’s gambling.

The harms from include negative impacts on mental health, physical health, relationships and finances such as reduced spending on everyday items and debt. There is a link between suicide and gambling with deaths from suicide significantly higher in those experiencing gambling harms.

Treatment and support need in Sheffield

The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities recently estimated that there are 19,480 adults in Sheffield who gamble that may benefit from some sort of treatment or support for gambling harms. This ranges from brief advice to intensive residential treatment with the majority thought to benefit from support from gambling specialist practitioners.

NICE Guideline 248 and very brief intervention

Most people experiencing gambling harms are not accessing support and many do not know how to do so. In January 2025, NICE released its first guideline on gambling harms: Gambling-related harms: Identification, assessment and management. NICE proposes that frontline staff ask service users the following two questions to help identify more people who are experiencing the harms from gambling:

Q1. Do you gamble? (e.g. the National Lottery or other lotteries, scratchcards, bet on sport, slot or fruit machines, visit casinos, gamble online such as slots, casino games or bingo).

Q2. Are you worried about your own or another person’s gambling?

Where someone answers ‘Yes’ to the second question, they should be advised of the specialist treatment and support available.

Treatment and support

NHS Northern Gambling Service - adults

The NHS Northern Gambling Service is recommended as the first line of treatment and support for adults (18+). The service can support people online or in person at their clinic base in Sheffield city centre. The service also provides support for affected family members whether the person gambling is in treatment or not.

Website: www.northerngamblingservice.nhs.uk 

Tel: 0300 300 1490            Email: referral.ngs@nhs.net  

Chapter One

The Chapter One website provides information on NHS services and wider sources of help and support, including peer support and mutual aid.

The website also has useful ‘Preparing for change’ worksheet for people to use.

Website: Chapter One | Home | Chapter One (chapter-one.org)

National Gambling Clinic – children and young people

Offers a free and confidential NHS service for those who are experiencing harm from gambling aged 13 to 18 years from anywhere in England. 

Email: gambling.cnwl@nhs.net

Tel: 020 7381 7722