Chapter One launches nationally at Westminster
A groundbreaking new initiative to prevent gambling harm, Chapter One, officially launched at Westminster today with cross-party political support, leading clinicians, and families bereaved by gambling-related suicide coming together to back the programme.
Developed by Gambling with Lives in partnership with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Chapter One aims to rewrite the story of gambling by providing full information, early intervention tools, and vital training for professionals across the UK, signalling a move away from the “responsible gambling” narrative.
The Westminster event saw the unveiling of Chapter One’s Ten Point Plan for Gambling Harm Prevention, developed in collaboration with London South Bank University and shaped by people with lived experience, including families bereaved by gambling-related suicide.
Speakers included Dr Beccy Cooper MP, a public health doctor and Labour MP for Worthing West, Abtisam Mohamed MP, Labour MP for Sheffield Central, who hosted the event, and Professor Henrietta Bowden-Jones OBE, NHS England’s National Clinical Advisor on Gambling Harms.
Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, also supported the event after Chapter One was successfully piloted across the region over the last two years, by recording this video, which was played at the event.
“Gambling can have an enormous impact on people’s lives – and for some, it leads to depression, serious debt, family breakdown and even suicide,” said Professor Bowden-Jones. “The stigma surrounding gambling harm is profound, which is why initiatives like Chapter One are vital in empowering people to seek help and understand they are not to blame.”
Chapter One’s Ten Point Plan calls for wide-ranging action, including mandatory gambling harm education for all schoolchildren, training for frontline health and education professionals, and clear pathways to support, including peer-led and specialist services. The initiative also places a strong emphasis on reforming public messaging and challenging the misleading narratives promoted by the gambling industry.
“Our message to anyone harmed by gambling is clear: You are not alone. This is not your fault. Free, confidential help is available”
James Grimes, Director of Chapter One
The national rollout builds on a successful two-year pilot across Greater Manchester, which trained over 1,200 professionals and reached tens of thousands of people at risk. The programme is designed to be scalable across the UK and adaptable to local needs, while remaining rooted in the latest evidence, research, and experiences of those who have experienced gambling harm.
The launch follows significant developments in national policy, including the government’s 2023 Suicide Prevention Strategy, which named gambling as one of six key risk factors for suicide, and the recent NICE guidance encouraging GPs and healthcare professionals to routinely ask patients about gambling.