Gambling addicts are at risk of missing out on “life-saving” help unless the government provides emergency support, charities have warned, after an overhaul of funding left treatment providers facing a cash crunch.
Until this year, money for problem gambling research, education and treatment had been provided on a voluntary basis by casinos and bookmakers who contributed about 0.1% of their takings.
Under new plans, put forward by the previous government and implemented by Labour since April this year, the £12.5bn-a-year [$16.7bn] gambling sector instead pays a mandatory levy of up to 1.1%, aimed at raising about £100m [$133m] a year.
The NHS will be the main conduit for distributing the money to clinics and external organizations directly treating addicts, taking on the role of commissioning these services from the charity GambleAware.
