UK gambling harms research center begins nationwide

"Researchers at the University of Sheffield are helping lead what officials describe as the country's biggest independent effort yet to better understand gambling harm and reduce its impact across Britain. The new Gambling Harms Research UK Evidence Centre brings together academics from Sheffield, Glasgow, Swansea and King's College London. Funding comes through the government's statutory Gambling Levy and is backed by UK Research and Innovation as ministers continue rolling out reforms from the Gambling White Paper."

"Researchers involved in the program say the goal is to give policymakers, health services and charities stronger evidence about which interventions genuinely reduce harm and where support services are falling short. The work will also involve economists, public health specialists, advocacy groups and people with direct experience of gambling-related problems."

"According to the University of Sheffield, gambling harm is estimated to cost the UK around £1.4 billion ($1.9 billion) every year through pressure on healthcare services, criminal justice systems and wider social impacts including debt, depression, relationship breakdown and suicide."

"“Gambling harms can have devastating consequences for people's mental health, relationships, finances and, in the most serious cases, leading to loss of life. Yet for too long, there have been major gaps in the evidence available to policymakers, health services and charities working to reduce that harm.”"

A new Gambling Harms Research UK Evidence Centre is being led by researchers from the University of Sheffield with partners from Glasgow, Swansea, and King’s College London. The centre is funded through the government’s statutory Gambling Levy and supported by UK Research and Innovation as reforms from the Gambling White Paper continue. The programme aims to provide policymakers, health services, and charities with stronger evidence on which interventions reduce gambling harm and where support services are failing. The work includes economists, public health specialists, advocacy groups, and people with direct experience of gambling-related problems. Gambling harm in the UK is estimated to cost about £1.4 billion each year through impacts on healthcare, criminal justice, and wider social outcomes such as debt, depression, relationship breakdown, and suicide.

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