GAMCARE PUBLISHES 2006 CARE REPORT

6 April 2007

Over 30 000 inbound calls to problem gambling body's Helpline, a 33.9 percent rise

Stressing that the content is a snapshot of Gamcare clients using its services, the problem gambling agency has released its 2006 Care Services Report.

The report reveals that an increasing number of people contacted GamCare, but emphasises that there is no evidence to suggest that the increase in client numbers represents an increase in problem gambling per se. "It may equally be that an increasing number of people have become aware of the services provided by GamCare. Whilst the number of people making use of GamCare’s care services has increased, the diversity of our clients in terms of age group, gender and ethnicity has also broadened," the report clarifies.

A total of 30 247 inbound calls were made to the Gamcare HelpLine in 2006, a 33.9 percent increase on the previous year. With over 2 200 registered members engaged in peer to peer support, the message forum saw a 300 percent increase in use. Since its launch, the chatroom has delivered over 350 hours of live community chat sessions, moderated by experienced GamCare staff.

Gamblers aged between 26 and 35 constituted the largest single group of callers (37.4 percent) to the HelpLine. The number of women gamblers increased very slightly to 13.2 percent (2005: 13 percent).

Betting continued to be the dominant gambling activity, accounting for 30.7 percent of callers. Fruit machine playing declined for a third year running (at 22.2 percent) and there was a small increase in Fixed Odds Betting Terminal problem gamblers ‘FOBTs’ (at 22 percent).

Fruit machines remained the most attractive form of gambling for women with FOBTs second.

The betting shop remained the most popular gambling location reported by callers, irrespective of age group. The next most popular location for gambling was the Internet.

The average debt specified by callers was GBP 13 867.

During the course of 2006, the Counselling Service engaged with 428 clients and undertook 2 334 individual and group sessions. Women gamblers attending counselling remained under-represented at only 9.3 percent. However, a programme of group sessions for women is now operative.

Reflecting the highly diverse ethnic mix of London, one third of counselling clients came from Black and Minority Ethnic groups.

Betting and FOBTs remained the predominant modes for counselling clients, accounting for over two thirds of clients’ problematic gambling. There was a slight reduction in clients reporting problems from remote [Internet and interactive TV] gambling at 11 percent of counselling clients.

In terms of counselling outcomes, at assessment 44.4 percent of clients were regularly gambling at a severe level and 33.3 percent were gambling periodically. By closure, 72.7 percent of clients had ceased gambling.

At assessment, only 12.7 percent of clients reported having no psychological problems. By closure, 54.5 percent of clients reported good psychological health.

The GamCare Partnership programme, which seeks to expand the availability of professional and sustainable problem gambling counselling across the UK reported substantially increased service delivery, with a 42.8 percent increase in session provision over 2005. A total of 919 clients were seen and 4 704 counselling sessions provided.

The percentage of women seen was higher than in the GamCare Counselling Service, with women accounting for 15.7 percent of clients. Nevertheless, this was a fall from the 18 percent recorded in 2005. The predominant age range was between 26 and 45 with a fall in the number of clients under the age of 25.

Betting was the main gambling mode of clients across the partners, followed by fruit machines, casino table games and FOBTs. The percentage of clients gambling remotely was marginally higher at 6.8 percent.

Adrian Scarfe, Head of Clinical Services, at GamCare, said: “Each year, our Care Services Report is anxiously anticipated by commentators. Whilst only a snapshot of our clients, it is the only such statistical material that emanates from those helping people with gambling problems every day of the week. The report speaks for itself.

"I personally am most proud of the number of people we have been able to help and the successful outcome of our counselling services. That proves that we are able to directly improve peoples’ lives.”

Anthony Jennens, Chairman of GamCare, said: “We urge all those who have expressed concern about problem gambling to follow their words with action and to help to raise public awareness so that we may continue in our endeavours to protect the vulnerable through education, prevention and treatment. Today’s Care Services Report demonstrates just how many people GamCare has been able to help in the last year. GamCare has had a substantial impact on those peoples’ lives.”

GamCare has continued to extend its services with a view to providing an across the board helpline and counselling solution, available in person, over the telephone and online. The launch of the NetLine service in February 2007 will enable access to the equivalent of the HelpLine services through the internet. By the autumn, this service will extend to include the provision of online one-on-one counselling services.

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