- Sean Cowlishaw, associate professor of psychology1,
- Amanda Roberts, professor of psychology2,
- Sanju George, consultant in addiction psychiatry3,
- David Kessler, professor of primary care4
- 1Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Australia
- 2School of Psychology, Sports Science and Wellbeing, University of Lincoln, UK
- 3Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, UK
- 4Centre for Academic Mental Health, Bristol Medical School, UK
- Correspondence to: S Cowlishaw [email protected]
Harmful gambling is a global public health issue that is attributable to the rapid expansion of commercial gambling industries,1 which has driven population exposure to high intensity gambling products and commercial practices of the gambling industry. Such practices include pervasive advertising and marketing and efforts to subvert evidence and policy, which have strong parallels with the tobacco industry.23 “Gambling that harms” is the terminology used by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)4 to refer to gambling behaviour that causes harm, problems, or distress and is linked with adverse outcomes including significant debt,5 mental health problems,6 family violence,7 and suicidality.8
In January 2025, NICE issued guidelines for commissioners and providers of healthcare and social care services, as well as gambling support services, which focus on improving the identification, assessment, and management of gambling harms.9 These guidelines frame gambling harm as a health related concern that should be tackled across service use environments, while increasing visibility of specialist gambling services in the UK. We welcome this and expect the guidelines will prompt better recognition …