Gambling Related Harm Strategy 2023-28
Gambling harm is an under-recognised problem, and people can often hide it because of feelings of guilt, shame or worry. Gambling can affect physical and mental health, damage relationships and leave people feeling lonely and isolated. It can also cause problems with employment, education, housing and lead to serious debt.
Our Gambling Related Harm Strategy 2023-2028 explains how we will take a public health approach to prevent and reduce harm in Nottingham. The strategy outlines how we will work with our partners to take action in three areas:
- Regulation: we will take action within our powers to enhance the regulatory safeguards against gambling related harm.
- Knowledge and Awareness: we will build understanding of gambling related harm in Nottingham and raise the awareness of citizens and professionals in order to prevent and reduce harm.
- Support pathways: we will make it easier for people in Nottingham who are affected by gambling to find the help they need, and reduce inequalities in access, experiences, and outcomes of support services.
Our vision is that Nottingham will be a place where people are protected from gambling harm and can access and receive support.
You can view the strategy here
Health Needs Assessment
The strategy was informed by a health needs assessment which estimated the local impact of gambling related harm and identified unmet need.
You can read the Gambling Related Harm in Nottingham City: Health Needs Assessment here.
Engaging with people with lived experience of gambling related harm
Understanding the personal experiences of gambling harm from people in Nottingham has been essential to our work to protect local people from gambling harm and help them to access support. In 2023, we spoke to several citizens to better understand the needs of people affected by gambling harm and to explore opportunities to prevent gambling harm from the perspectives of people with lived experience.
You can read the full report here.
Local Services
Public Health in Nottingham have commissioned Gambling with Lives and Double Impact to deliver services in the city that help us to prevent and reduce gambling harm as outlined in the Strategy.
Double Impact’s ‘TimeOut’ is a face-to-face, solution focused gambling recovery service based in Nottingham. They offer holistic support, screening and recovery planning, guided peer-led support groups, recovery planning, and help to access wider/specialist support.
Gambling with Lives and Chapter One offer training for professionals working in Nottingham City with vulnerable adults and children aged 11-25. The training helps delegates to understand gambling and gambling harms, know how to ask the right questions and begin a conversation about gambling harm, and find out how to effectively share information, advice and signpost to support.
More information about both of these locally commissioned services, as well as other free and local support in Nottingham and further afield, can be found on ASKLiON: www.asklion.co.uk/gamblingsupport
Additional resources
We have produced several resources to help you start a conversation about gambling harm: