Unreliable identification and support for gambling-related harm
First to latest report 7 Mar 2022 — 14 Jan 2026
Reports that mention this concern
4
Times this concern has been raised
11
Stated actions linked to this concern
6
What this concern includes
Includes controls specifically dedicated to identifying, preventing or responding to gambling-related harm, including asking patients about gambling habits and providing clear, supportive information to people affected by gambling addiction.
What is not included
Excludes generic mental-health assessment, communication or information-provision failures that are not specifically tied to gambling-related harm.
Excludes general addiction services or substance-use concerns unless gambling or gambling addiction is the identified safety issue.
Excludes neutral descriptions of gambling, gambling behaviour or gambling services without an unsafe identification or support deficiency.
Excludes downstream suicide, shame or hopelessness outcomes when no dedicated gambling-related identification or support failure is asserted.
Trends
Reports over time
Reports mentioning this concern, over time
Reports about this concern issued each year.
* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.
Most frequent recipients
Most frequent recipients
Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport3
Department for Education2
Department of Health and Social Care2
Gambling Commission2
Flutter UK & Ireland1
Royal College of General Practitioners1
Ministerial department3
Gambling regulator2
Company1
Health professional body1
Reports and published responses 4 reports
See individual reports that have raised this concern, and the actions taken in response
East Sussex
Concerns raised1
Absence of gambling-harm protection features on unlicensed sites
This report raised 4 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Department for Education
Department of Health and Social Care
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and Department for Education and Department of Health and Social Care
Strengthen protections for people at risk through new safer-gambling requirements.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.3
Department of Health and Social Care
DCMS, as lead department for gambling policy and regulation, will lead and submit the cross-agency response on behalf of the named organisations.
Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Department for Education
Responsibility for the matters raised lies outside the Department’s remit, so it will not undertake responsive safety work.
Outside remitThe respondent said that this matter was outside its role or authority.
Department for Education
The organisations identified in the report may be best placed to provide a comprehensive response and address the concerns.
Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Inner South London
Concerns raised1
Failure of GPs to ask individuals about gambling habits
This report raised 4 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
Royal College of General Practitioners
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
Royal College of General Practitioners
Provide a Gambling Harms Hub accreditation pathway with e-learning, webinars, practice leads and staff-training materials for addressing gambling harms.
Leicester City and South Leicestershire
Concerns raised1
Reliance on industry regulatory standards rather than current good or best practice for gambling-customer protection
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Flutter UK & Ireland
Gambling Commission
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.4
Gambling Commission
Continue improving and refining licensing requirements, remote technical standards and associated guidance using regulatory evidence and research.
Gambling Commission
Publish information from regulatory casework to share lessons learned and inform good practice across the gambling industry.
Flutter UK & Ireland
Continue strengthening and improving Player Protection Tools and actively encourage customers to use them.
Flutter UK & Ireland
Operate a dedicated Customer Safety Tribe of over 300 colleagues to advance safer-gambling controls.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.4
Gambling Commission
No regulatory action was considered appropriate regarding the matters identified in the review of the individual case.
No action considered necessaryThe respondent said that no further action was needed.
Gambling Commission
Betfair is primarily responsible for taking forward good or best practice, limiting the regulator’s ability to respond to this concern.
Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Flutter UK & Ireland
There is no specific minimum or objectively measurable best-practice standard for gambling operators beyond principle- and outcome-based regulatory requirements.
Disputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
The regulatory framework is outcomes-based and requires operators to pursue licensing objectives, not merely comply with minimum standards.
Disputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
South Yorkshire (Western)
Concerns raised8
Continuing gaps in gambling-related information
Lack of medical professional training in diagnosing and treating gambling addiction
Lack of understanding that gambling addiction is not the individual's fault
Continuing gaps in gambling warnings
Lack of gambling education for school children
Insufficient gambling warnings to prevent gambling
Continuing gaps in gambling addiction treatment
Insufficient treatment for gambling addiction
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
No linked response statements
No respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.
Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.