UKGC Approves Funding for a Public Health Programme in Yorkshire and Humber

The UK’s Gambling Commission has approved funding for a new public health initiative in Yorkshire and Humber aimed at reducing gambling harms in the region. The three-year scheme will see £800,000 worth of funding to provide support and treatment for those affected by problem gambling in the area.  

The funding will see an extra focus placed on education and prevention after a recent survey conducted by the Gambling Commission indicated that gamblers have limited knowledge of the safer gambling tools readily available to them.

Tim Miller, the Gambling Commission’s executive director, said:

“We welcome this ambitious project across Yorkshire and Humber. A well-planned, cohesive public health approach to tackling gambling harms is exactly what the National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms was designed to stimulate.” 

Mr Miller continued, “We are pleased to be able to approve the funding, which was agreed through regulatory settlements, as part of the National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms.” 

Greg Fell, chair of the Yorkshire & Humber harmful gambling working group, commented:

“We aim to deliver a gold standard programme that can be replicated across the UK. We are in the unique position of having a diverse population across city, town, rural and coastal environments, which offers the potential for an effective activity blueprint that could be used by other regions.” 

“We know high deprivation areas and low-income workers are disproportionately negatively affected by gambling, so this will be our focus.”