The gambling industry has turned smartphones into mobile casinos

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Addiction to online gambling costs more than money. Chris Bruney, a 25-year-old engineer, killed himself hours after being rewarded for his ruinous betting with a £400 cash bonus. For the company encouraging him to bet more, this incentive was a drop in the ocean: Mr Bruney had gambled away £119,000 in five days.

It is thought that, on average, gambling addiction results in one suicide per day. Such is the toll taken by an industry that has turned the smartphone into a portable casino.

The government is now taking action to reduce this scourge, with a white paper published on Thursday recommending limits on individual online bets and checks on the solvency of those whose losses suggest addiction. It also establishes a statutory levy for