The Government must take urgent action in response to a report showing a rise in the number of problem gamblers. That’s the call from a group of churches and Christian organisations, including The Salvation Army, who want local councils to have the power to limit the number of gambling premises in their areas.<\/p>\n
The latest Gambling Prevalence survey* shows that problem gambling has increased in just a few years. The survey shows that last year 0.9% of the population – 451,000 people – admitted to being problem gamblers. That’s up from the 0.6% recorded in 2007 and 1999….<\/p>\n
Malcolm Brown, Director of Mission and Public Affairs at the Church of England, said: \u201d\u02dcProblem gamblers become sucked into a distorted view of reality and often drag themselves and their families into insecurity and poverty. This is not just a matter of personal morality and character, but a problem exacerbated by the values communicated by the wider social and policy context.’<\/p>\n