![\"gamban\"](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/624\/cpsprodpb\/EC40\/production\/_98008406_block.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThe number of gambling addicts struggling with betting on mobile phones and tablets has risen, figures show.<\/p>\n
The National Problem Gambling Clinic (NPGC) said while 24% of its patients struggled with mobile gambling in 2012-13, this rose to 63% in 2016-17.<\/p>\n
Software companies are working on apps to block gambling sites from the phones of problem gamblers.<\/p>\n
The Remote Gambling Association said it encouraged responsible gambling.<\/p>\n
A total of 632 gambling addicts were referred to the NHS clinic in 2012-13. This rose to 778 in 2016-17.<\/p>\n
Campaigner Tony Franklin, a recovering addict, would bet thousands of pounds from his mobile phone on casino apps.<\/p>\n
“Once you get a gambling account, you can access it from your mobile, from your tablet, anywhere. There’s no escape from it,” he said.<\/p>\n
“I was sat in a management meeting and I was gambling \u00a31,000 a time on a roulette spin on one number.”<\/p>\n
Mr Franklin said the government needed to ensure companies check whether customers can afford their bets.<\/p>\n
“It is time for the government to wake up,” he said. “We’ve tried self-regulation since the 2005 Gambling Act. It’s clearly not working; it’s failed.<\/p>\n
“Just like the banking industry has a responsibility to lend responsibly, gambling companies need to have a responsibility to ensure people play responsibly.”<\/p>\n
The figures, released under the Freedom of Information Act by the NPGC, show 63% of patients said they struggled with mobile gambling, 59% struggled with fixed odds betting terminals and 59% struggled with sports betting in bookmakers.<\/p>\n
The figures also show that 6% of patients reported a problem with bingo.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Software company gamban is working on phone apps to block betting sites on the devices of problem gamblers.<\/p>\n
Jack Symonds, from gamban, said: “Operators cannot possibly manage their own self-exclusions.<\/p>\n
“Even if one operator behaves responsibly, there are thousands of others willing to take your bets.<\/p>\n
“This is why blocking gambling from your devices is the only way to effectively self-exclude from gambling.”<\/p>\n
The average waiting list for treatment at the clinic is five months, but the figures show some patients were having to wait nearly a year.<\/p>\n
Dr Neil Smith, NPGC consultant clinical psychologist and service manager, said: “The use of mobile phones as platforms to gamble on over the preceding five years is not surprising given their ubiquity in society.”<\/p>\n
He explained waiting times could be affected by an array of factors, and that services have recently been reorganised to try to reduce waiting times.<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for the Remote Gambling Association said that as phones became more reliable, more people used them to place bets – inevitably leading to higher numbers of problem gambling referrals.<\/p>\n
The spokesperson added: “However, the good news is that due to the technological advantages of remote gambling we are better placed than most sectors when it comes to encouraging responsible gambling.”<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said it expected the gambling sector to do more on player protection.<\/p>\n
“There is clearly more work needed in this area,” the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n
“We are currently undertaking a review of the gambling sector that includes looking at social responsibility measures across the industry, including protections around gambling advertising.”<\/p>\n
–<\/p>\n
Source: BBC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The number of gambling addicts struggling with betting on mobile phones and tablets has risen, figures show. The National Problem Gambling Clinic (NPGC) said while 24% of its patients struggled with mobile gambling in 2012-13, this rose to 63% in 2016-17. Software companies are working on apps to block gambling sites from the phones of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[19],"tags":[502,503,504],"yoast_head":"\n