Gambling addiction and risks of gambling related harm survey

If you've experienced issues related to gambling, or been impacted by issues relating to someone over the age of 18 years old who gambles, we wanted to hear from you.

Thank you to everyone who responded to the survey. We had 104 responses, just over 50% of respondents stated they gamble, 19.8% stated they had issues caused by gambling such as depression, anxiety, financial or relationship issues.

Your responses were reviewed by the Gambling Related Harm Steering Group who agreed some key recommendations to meet the needs of the local population. The recommendations include providing information resources and training to raise awareness of signs of gambling addiction and the related harms. Resources will be developed including details of where and how to access gambling treatment and support.

If you're currently experiencing issues with gambling which you need help with, you can get support by calling Humankind on 03000 266 666.

Background

We carried out a survey to help us assess the health needs of people living in County Durham who are:

gambling addicts
at risk of becoming addicted
friends and family impacted by the gambling habits of a loved one

This is called a Gambling Health Needs Assessment and it means we identify people's healthcare needs, gaps in support, and what changes are required to fill those gaps.

Gambling addiction and gambling related harms

Gambling addiction is a recognised mental health condition and the phrase is a common term used when people search for support. However, many people do not recognise that they have a gambling addiction. Talking about the harms people experience, allows more people to understand how gambling might be effecting them, and can allow people to recognise lower levels of harm before it becomes addiction.

Gambling related harms are the negative effects from gambling on the health and wellbeing of individuals, families, communities, and society. They can include:

financial and debt issues
relationship issues such as conflict or breakdown
poor mental and physical health
employment problems
wider society problems such as criminal activity

Have your say

The closing date was Thursday 29 February 2024 at 5.00pm.

Contact Public Health

Email publichealth@durham.gov.uk
Telephone 03000 264 109

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