Manchester City Council has joined forces with a London council to tackle gambling issues in the community through the first research project of its kind in the UK.
The Council along with Westminster City Council, with the support of the Local Government Association (LGA), launched a research project to identify those most at risk of developing gambling problems.
The two councils are carrying out the project because they found similar concerns about gambling and a need to work together to identify and map at-risk individuals within the two cities.
Now, they have commissioned Geofutures, an independent company specialising in statistical analysis and the mapping of complex data – to carry out research in both areas aimed at tackling gambling-related harm and identifying those most at risk.
The company will work with the councils to gauge the level of risk to gambling across both cities and show where the most vulnerable groups are concentrated.
Both authorities and Geofutures will work with representatives of casinos, betting shops and other gambling premises, as well as with people who regularly use these premises, in order to understand which groups are most vulnerable. They will also work with academics that specialise in gambling research and organisations such as GamCare that offer support to people with gambling problems.
Once the research has been completed, the outcomes will be made available to industry groups, charities, residents and other organisations involved, so that appropriate consideration can be given to gambling and its effects on the local population.
Both councils will also then devise new policies that will require operators to take these risks into consideration and – if necessary – provide measures to address them.
The research, which is being funded by the LGA, can also be used to support the industry in identifying local areas of risk to gambling, and organisations supporting people with gambling problems can use it for targeted intervention, education and treatment.
Councillor Kate Chappell, Manchester City Council’s executive member for the environment, said: “People living with gambling problems do not draw attention to themselves, and the issue has been very hard for authorities to deal with because so little is known about who these people are.
“For the first time ever, this research will enable us to understand who is at risk of developing a gambling problem, where these groups can be found, and whether any new measures need to be put in place in those areas.”
Councillor Tim Mitchell, chairman of Westminster City Council’s licensing committee, said: “This project is the first of its kind in the UK and is the first attempt to identify who are the most at risk and vulnerable to gambling in our community.
“Problem gambling is a hidden addiction and only manifests itself when individuals reach the point at which they need help. It can also have a devastating effect on families.”
