Gambling with Lives was set up by the families and friends of young people who had taken their own lives as a direct result of gambling. These were all very normal, bright, popular and happy young folk who had great futures ahead of them … gambling was their only problem.
Their deaths were very sudden – “out of the blue” with no warning. They were not the result of massive gambling debts, rather what gambling had done to their hearts and their heads.
No one knows how many deaths are related to gambling each year; but research indicates that there are between 250 and 650 gambling related suicides every year in the UK … a minimum of one every working day.
Gambling with Lives aims to:
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Support families who have been bereaved by gambling related suicides
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Raise awareness amongst gamblers, their families and friends, and health professionals of the dangerous effects of gambling on mental health and the high suicide risk
If your family has been bereaved by gambling related suicide, please contact us at info@gamblingwithlives.org All media queries to 07960 025773
Please note that we are a small charity and cannot offer helpline facilities. If you want to speak to someone immediately about a gambling problem have a look at the contacts on our Help page.
LATEST RESEARCH - NEW SUMMARY PAPERS
Our research summaries on the Number of Gambling Related Suicides in the UK; Addictive Products; and the Inadequacy of Prevalence Measures are now available on the website.
Click here to access
Swedish research published in 2018 shows people with gambling disorder have a 15 times higher suicide rate than the general population ...
... meaning up to 550 suicides p.a. in the UK
FILMS - just click below
Families bereaved by gambling related suicides talk about their experiences for the first time
TO REDUCE GAMBLING HARMS WE BELIEVE THAT THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS ARE NEEDED
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Strengthen the public health message about the mental health and suicide risks of gambling
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Implement a comprehensive NHS prevention and treatment programme
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Undertake a substantial training programme for front line health and other support workers to recognise and diagnose gambling disorder
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Record the number of gambling related suicides
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Implement product safety testing and licensing
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Increase the amount of funding available to fund education and research which is independent of any influence by the gambling industry
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Increase the amount of research on the impact of gambling products and practices of the gambling industry which can create and maintain gambling addiction
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Introduce proper and rigorous affordability and 'source of wealth' checks to prevent gambling companies exploiting gamblers
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End all VIP schemes - which are targeted at people who lose large amounts of money and encourage them to spend more
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End illegal underage gambling
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Provide free lifetime online self-exclusion software
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Increase the availability of gambling transaction blocking with all banks
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End all gambling advertising and sponsorship of sports
GAMBLING - SOME KEY FACTS
Click here to access our full Research Brief (May 2018)
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There are 340,000 adult gambling addicts in the UK, with a further 2 million "at risk"
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55,000 young people aged 11-16 are addicted to gambling
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UK and international research has found that 4-11% of suicides are related to gambling ... equivalent to 250-650 deaths per year in the UK
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Research from Sweden found that gambling addicts are 15 times more likely to take their own lives than the general population
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Gambling addicts are 3-4 times more likely to attempt to kill themselves than other types of addict
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Gambling disorder was classified as equivalent to drug and alcohol addictions in 2013
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Some gambling products are extremely dangerous:
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Over half of people playing FOBTs are addicted to gambling or at risk
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Nearly half of people playing casino games online are addicted or at risk
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27.9% of people gambling online are addicted or at risk
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Only 33% of people think that gambling is fair and can be trusted; 71% think that it is dangerous to family life
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The industry made nearly £14 billion gross profit in 15/16 ... but contributed just £8m to pay for research, education and treatment
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Just 2% of addicts were able to access treatment - compared to 15-20% for drugs and alcohol addictions
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The GamCare treatment network is not linked to NHS primary care, so that 90% of those who receive treatment are self-referrals
NOW AVAILABLE - just £10 (plus p+p)
You can now support Gambling with Lives by buying and wearing one of our limited edition t-shirts. Demonstrate your support for our work to raise awareness, make gambling safer and improve treatment ... wherever you go!
Contact us at
Sizes - S,M,L,XL; Available in White, Black, Red or Blue
