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THE HEADLINE FIGURE from a report published last week commissioned by the Gambling Awareness Trust was that there are around 55,000 problem gamblers in Ireland.
For the last number of years, there has been a dearth of substantive data in this area in this country and psychiatrists and counsellors have consistently said that that it will be important to fully understand the scale of the problem in Ireland before it can be comprehensively tackled.
Some estimates say the number of problem gamblers in Ireland could be far higher.
However, one area that was also highlighted in the report is how far behind Ireland is in terms of treating people with severe gambling problems compared to other countries.
And, when the government finally enacts landmark gambling legislation, the treatment of gambling issues should be at the forefront of their efforts according to campaigners.
The report said: “HSE service provision is not specialised but part of a general ‘toolkit’ for managing drug and alcohol addiction. Regional discrepancies characterise the public system and make it difficult for gamblers experiencing problems to access services in their areas.
Private services exist but are expensive. Screening for gambling addiction is virtually non-existent and makes it difficult to interdict those at risk of developing significant problems with harmful gambling.
The report also said there is no “dedicated treatment pathway” for GPs to refer on problem gamblers, and such individuals are “lumped in” with services for those with drug and/or alcohol problems.
It added: “Relative to the scale of accelerated patterns of harmful gambling in Ireland, this system is not fit for purpose.”
In lieu of such formal services from the HSE, a number of charities and privately-owned providers take up the slack when it comes to offering supports for problem gambling and gambling addiction.
The Gambling Awareness Trust – which is funded through contributions by the gambling industry itself – provides financial support to a number of providers in this area to offer phone and in-person counselling services along with other supports.
Last year, for example, it helped to fund a residential treatment service for 92 people through the Cuan Mhuire service.
Its CEO Pam Bergin told The Journal: “We get a bad rap because we’re funded by the industry. The industry has nothing to do with our day-to-day operations. We commissioned this report to try to add the literature there is on the scale of gambling harm in this country.
Nothing in it really blew us away. But it is fairly stark that there’s such a huge problem in this country that’s not being tackled head on. We’re so far behind in terms of regulation that something has to be done. But I’m fairly confident now that Minister Browne will bring in a regulator.
Last week, Minister of State for Law Reform James Browne briefed Cabinet on the progress being made to establish a gambling regulator.
Campaigners have long said the industry cannot be allowed to self-regulate, and that Ireland should introduce legislation to regulate an industry that has seen revenues skyrocket in recent decades.
As part of gambling reforms, a social fund will be established and funded through the regulator and by the gambling industry to address gambling addiction.
The Department of Justice said this social fund will support research, information campaigns and treatment by health care professionals.
Bergin said that once those funds begin to come through to offer formalised and dedicated problem gambling supports, there are plenty of models that can be adopted from abroad that Ireland could follow.
“All our peer countries in the EU have some form of supports for this,” she said. “In the UK recently, a number of NHS gambling clinics have opened up in the likes of London and cities in the north of England.
“Apparently, it’s working really well. It’s free and it’s a specific service in this area. Something like that would be excellent here. In Ireland, it’d be important we get that geographic spread because the problem is everywhere.”
The calls from this Bergin and the Gambling Awareness Trust for regulation and funding for treatment services have been echoed by others working in the area, including psychiatrists, charities such as Extern Problem Gambling and politicians.
Speaking to The Journal last month on behalf of the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland, consultant addictions psychiatrist Professor Colin O’Gara said that issue of problem gambling has “reached a point of no return”.
“There has to be something done about this, and soon,” he said.
In the wake of the pandemic, Professor O’Gara said it’ll be very important to tackle the “epidemic” of problem gambling that is affecting Irish society, particularly its young men.
“A lot of people are being harmed,” he said. “It’s a stigma and one of the worst stigmas out there. It’s such a shame. Because it’s a medical illness like any others. A huge amount of funding needs to go towards education, and towards awareness.
“When somebody falls foul of this, it’s not their fault. They need to understand that. We need to ensure they get the help they need.”
The fact that many who seek help through their GPs and HSE services are referred to pathways for those with alcohol or drug issues “heightens the stigma” for those with gambling addiction, according to Bergin, and this is something that needs to change.
“For every problem gambler, there are six others directly affected,” she said. “It’s friends and families that this impacts, not just the individual. The State aren’t providing these services. But people shouldn’t be left thinking there are no supports there to help them because there are. There are places to go. If you’ve a problem with this, you can get help.”
If you need help with gambling addiction, get in touch with Gamblers Anonymous via one of their regional contacts, Problem Gambling Ireland on 089 241 5401 or other services listed here.
For those in need of mental health support, help is available via:
A list of HSE and HSE-funded services can be found here.
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We know Dylan does not want to publicly receive this so let’s hear about the other winners and what they did to receive such high distinction. That’s the article I want to read.
@Deborah Behan: They told people to vote for Hillary this year???
Well, it would have been a bit inconsistent of him if he had shown up … Sticking to his guns I guess.
He was probably afraid crooked Hillary was going to be there.
interesting Dylan showed up for his presidential medal of freedom and yet appears to be turning up his nose at the Nobel Prize, a tad ungreatful Boll@* impression I’m getting of Dylan.
@Joseph Dempsey: He is not “turning up his nose” at a prize that he never sought and which must have come as a huge surprise to him. He did thank the Swedes for it and said he would attend the ceremony in Stockholm “if at all possible”. Now it seems it isn’t possible, but he doesn’t owe anyone an explanation of why that is so.
And what makes you think he would give a rat’s arse what impression a judgemental little anonymous nobody like you gets?
So what if they were all migrants. As if hordes of Mexican, Irish, and whatever other illegals are equivalent to four British scientists who legally emigrated to the US.
Regarding Bob Dylan, it’s funny that some old twanger who hasn’t had a half decent tune for decades still gets so much attention.
Give it to someone else.someone harder working with more talent.shouldn’t be that hard to find someone.
Red Hurley? Do you have anyone in mind? What’s the name of that Irish singer popular in the 80′s? His name escapes me. He’d be a good Nobel Laureate. What’s his name, Red Hurley? It’s at the tip of my tongue.
‘Migrants’
Escaping the hell holes of Oxford and Cambridge.
One of the greatest song writer of our time.
“All l I can do is be me, whoever that is”
This week I am mostly arrogant and petty.
Too cool for school
Ungrateful arrogant person who should be stripped of the award…Full of his own self importance
@Paul Lane: “Self-important” and “arrogant” for NOT accepting an award?!!?
You need to go back and consult your dictionary, friend!!
@Paul Lane:
Q: What do the following Nobel winners have in common?
Novelist Doris Lessing in 2007, playwright Harold Pinter in 2005 and writer Elfriede Jelinek in 2004?
A: They didn’t accept the award in person
@Fox in the Box: Some could not because of health issues.
@Paul A Whelan: How do you know what shape the 75-year-old Dylan is in? Maybe a trip all the way to Stockholm would be hard on him, but he doesn’t want to moan in public about his health.
No one can nominate themself for the Nobel Prize and Dylan probably had no inkling that he was getting one until the name of the winner was announced in Sweden.
Dylan probably recognises the insanity of the Nobel institute which awarded Obama the Peace Prize in 2008 upon his inauguration as President. Apparently Henry Kissinger was also a ‘peace’ recipient. Nothing could be more hypocritical, insane ,mad crazy as awarding these two war mongers this award. Dylan wrote songs about peace and the ending of wars. So, congratulations Bob. You are consistent as well as being a great singer, song writer, poet and humanitarian.
Besides I’m pretty sure Dylan didn’t put his name forward for the prize in the first place. Why on earth should anyone be expected to turn up for a ceremony they didn’t sign up for.
Just send me the prize money,(€0.93 million)
@Patrick James Walsh: I’m sure Bob needs it as badly as I need a €5 gift from the St. Vincent de Paul Society.
Dylan must be very busy these days.
Is he unwell?
Is he sick of all the B…S…?
have your say