Chapter One, a pioneering information and support programme for people affected by gambling, has launched in Northern Ireland, with a high-profile event at Stormont attended by MLAs, healthcare experts and bereaved families.
The launch follows the release of the Department for Communities’ 2024 Gambling Prevalence Survey, which found that Northern Ireland has the highest gambling harm rates anywhere in the UK – with 3% of adults now classed as “problem gamblers,” and only 1% of people who gamble having accessed information, support or treatment. Despite these figures, there is currently no dedicated, state-funded treatment for gambling harms in Northern Ireland.
Chapter One, developed by Gambling with Lives in partnership with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and launched nationally at Westminster in March this year, aims to fill that gap, offering clear and accessible support for those in need and training for the professionals who support them.
The Stormont launch brought together around 50 attendees, including MLAs from across the political spectrum, healthcare professionals, and families bereaved by gambling-related suicide. Speakers included Philip McGuigan MLA and Robbie Butler MLA, Chair and Vice Chair of the All-Party Group on Reducing Harm Related to Gambling.
Dr Sharon McElroy Costello, Consultant Lead Clinical Psychologist with the Western Trust, and Declan Cregan, Training Officer at Chapter One, also spoke at the event, which marked a significant step forward in recognising gambling harm as a public health issue in Northern Ireland and called for urgent action to ensure those affected are no longer left without support.
Philip McGuigan MLA hosted the event and opened the speeches.
Philip McGuigan MLA, Chair of the All-Party Group on Reducing Harm Related to Gambling, said:
“Thousands of people in the north of Ireland are negatively impacted by gambling, either by their own addiction or that of someone close to them.
“However, only a fraction are accessing support services. Chapter One is informed and led by people with lived experience of gambling harms and will provide people here with the information and support they deserve.”
Chapter One has already trained over 1,200 professionals in England and reached tens of thousands of people at risk. Now expanding to Northern Ireland, Chapter One provides a hub of information, training and support for people affected by gambling, as well as tools and resources for professionals and a Ten Point Plan for Gambling Harm Prevention, developed in partnership with London South Bank University. The plan calls for a coordinated, public health response to gambling harms, including:
Mandatory gambling harm education for all school children
Training for GPs and frontline professionals
Clear access to self-help tools, peer support and specialist care
Declan Cregan adresses the launch event.
People with direct experience of gambling harm, including families bereaved by gambling-related suicide have played a crucial role in shaping Chapter One’s approach and resources, ensuring that the initiative learns lessons from deaths and informs programmes and materials.
Declan Cregan, Training Officer at Chapter One and someone with lived experience of gambling addiction, said:
“Northern Ireland has been left behind when it comes to helping people affected by gambling harm. Most people are left without adequate advice, support or treatment.
“As someone with lived experience of gambling harm, I know how isolating and overwhelming it can feel. We’re here to show people they’re not alone, and that there is hope and help available. No one should be left behind.”
Dr Sharon McElroy Costello, Consultant Lead Clinical Psychologist with the Western Trust Alcohol and Drugs Service, added:
“Chapter One is a fantastic initiative that brings together essential information about gambling harms, including screening tools and supports available, all in one accessible website.
“This is an invaluable resource for individuals concerned about their own gambling, worried family members or friends, and professionals seeking guidance—particularly as there is no statutory NHS gambling service for problem gambling currently in Northern Ireland.
“The content provided on this site has the potential to save lives by increasing understanding of the gambling harm and signposting people to the help they need.”
