Northern Ireland faces urgent call to tackle gambling harm crisis

Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan has sounded the alarm to the Northern Ireland Executive after a major new study revealed some troubling findings about gambling in the region.

The 2024 Prevalence of Gambling in Northern Ireland report, commissioned by the Department for Communities, shows that 3% of people are already facing serious harm from gambling, while another 10% are at low to moderate risk.

McGuigan, who leads the All Party Group on Reducing Harm Related to Gambling (APG), called the report’s findings a “clear call to action.” He’s urging Health Minister Mike Nesbitt to make it a top priority to set up dedicated treatment services for those struggling with gambling addiction.

‘Serious gap’ in gambling addiction treatment in Northern Ireland

Speaking in the Assembly, he pointed out one of the most worrying aspects of the survey, which is that few people are actually reaching out for help. Despite the signs of gambling harm, only 1% of those who gamble said they had accessed any support or information from gambling or mental health services.

APG Chair @mcguigan_philip making a member's statement today in the Assembly on the Gambling Prevalence Survey

Calls for 1⃣ treatment services for people experiencing severe gambling-related harms 2⃣a levy on land-based operators here 3⃣a share of the UK levy on online gambling pic.twitter.com/z6ZDyWrsRV

— Reducing Harm Related to Gambling APG (@GamHarmAPG) May 13, 2025

He said: “The Minister of Health must act without delay to commission dedicated gambling treatment services. With existing addiction services already under pressure, additional funding is essential.

“The findings of this survey point to a serious gap in provision for addiction treatment in the north. The need is clearly there, but people aren’t getting the help they need.”

Figures show the large majority of moderate risk / problem gamblers said they had “chased losses.” Credit: NISRA / DCMS

The survey also uncovered some troubling personal impacts of gambling. About one in seven adults who gambled in the past year admitted to spending more than they could afford to lose.

One in eight said they needed to gamble larger amounts to get the same buzz, and nearly one in 12 revealed that gambling had led to health issues like stress and anxiety.

APG Chair Philip McGuigan MLA @mcguigan_philip calls for urgent action on gambling harm treatment.

“The public clearly wants action. The evidence is there. We must act now to protect people from the devastating consequences of gambling addiction”https://t.co/vxiIahfAB7

— Reducing Harm Related to Gambling APG (@GamHarmAPG) May 16, 2025

The report also found that around 10% of people affected by gambling said they had experienced the breakdown of a close relationship because of someone’s gambling habits.

McGuigan continued: “These figures are deeply concerning and underscore the serious social and public health implications of gambling addiction. This isn’t just about individuals losing money; it’s about broken families, damaged relationships, and communities struggling with the fallout of gambling harms.”

McGuigan criticizes lack of funding

To help close the funding gap, he’s urging the Minister for Communities to move quickly on the long-promised levy for land-based gambling operators.

He also didn’t hold back in criticizing the British government for leaving Northern Ireland out of the new statutory levy that came into effect in Britain on April 6. That levy is meant to support research, prevention, and treatment for gambling-related harm.

“Online gambling operators licensed by Britain’s Gambling Commission are freely advertising and profiting here in the North,” McGuigan stated.

“Yet, our population is completely excluded from the financial benefits of the statutory gambling levy on these operators. That is unacceptable. Executive Ministers must demand that the North receives its fair share of this funding.”

The survey also showed that 66% of people think there are just too many gambling ads out there. On top of that, 71% said they’re in favor of a watershed for gambling ads on TV and radio, limiting when those ads can be shown.

APG officer @paulfrewDUP raising the issue of online gambling during today's Assembly debate on online harms on young people.

He spoke about how young people "have a casino in their pocket 24 hours a day" and how they are bombarded with gambling marketing through sports pic.twitter.com/Qj4cgYksDM

— Reducing Harm Related to Gambling APG (@GamHarmAPG) May 13, 2025

Robbie Butler, APG’s vice chair, added: “There is no NHS-commissioned service supporting people who are experiencing harm from gambling in Northern Ireland.

“We want to see our part of the UK get its fair share of the recently introduced statutory levy on online gambling operators, who are licenced to advertise here by the Gambling Commission, so that resources can be invested into addressing this serious public health issue for people here.”

McGuigan is now calling on the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy MP, to step in and use her authority to bring in stricter rules on gambling ads. He’s specifically pushing for a TV and radio watershed to help cut down on exposure to gambling content during peak viewing hours.

Featured image: Canva / Sinn Féin / Creative Commons 2.0

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