We must all have noticed the growth in the number of bookmakers. Last year, Scottish bookies made profits of £122 million. Some 70 per cent of Scots have gambled in the past year: three million people. The Government gains from taxes on the firms.

I am not criticising all gambling. As a child I was part of an extended family which enjoyed betting. Dad put money on racehorses which meant, in those days, giving the money to grandad, who was an illegal bookies’ runner. Dad’s favourite gambling was greyhounds which entailed a weekly night out at “the dogs” with his mate.

Significantly, dad’s betting never harmed us. He put an amount aside and did not go over it, so the family was never short of food, clothes or shelter. Mind you, dad never took us on holiday. He advised me not to bet, having seen the damage it inflicted on some of his pals, and, on the whole, I took his advice, limiting myself to raffles and a few premium bonds. I even avoid the National Lottery, having worked out that the chances of winning are about the same as those of West Ham winning the Premium League.

Dad’s kind of gambling can be described as entertainment. The players do not get into debt and do not harm their families. But gambling can be a social problem or addiction when players cannot stop even if their losses harm their families and they take loans from payday lenders.

Online gambling, also allowed by the Gambling Act, can be carried out in secret and is thought to involve many middle-class punters. It is estimated that there are 31,000 gambling addicts in Scotland and they may soon overtake the number of hard drug addicts. Addicts can be helped. Lisa Ustok and Joanna Hughes speak from experience as helpers in their book First Steps Out of Problem Gambling (Lion, 2011). Once addicts want to change, the first step is to seek help outside the family from someone who can be trusted, is sympathetic, keeps confidences and understands something about the problem. It is a role I have occasionally undertaken. One of my important contributions was to remotivate a former gambler who had returned to it.

Another step is to seek an alternative activity, for instance, drop-in centres where, in a friendly atmosphere, people can play pool, table tennis, draughts and other games. The church I attend runs an affordable cafe where volunteers are on hand to chat and encourage. Activities and company can be something to look forward to, replacing gambling in the process.

For some this is not sufficient. They require participation in groups with other gamblers, and/or individual therapy. Gamblers Anonymous is a proven help. GPs can pave the way to one-to-one sessions. Much neglected are the children of gamblers. I was delighted when a friend sent me her latest children’s book. Josephine Feeney has Scottish connections, being married to a Scot from Perth . The book is called Gambledad: Dad Bets … We Lose (Basking Skills Press, 2014). The story is told by 11-year-old Antonio whose father, a former footballer, is gambling the family’s money away.

Soon Antonio, his mum and sister are homeless on the streets. His behaviour at school deteriorates. There is no happy ending but there is hope. This gripping book is written for nine to 12-year-olds but it also has much to teach adults.

We should acknowledge that betting is growing fast and has dangers for the gamblers and their families. Schools could discuss gambling without pointing the finger at children.

The Government must take action to reduce the number of gambling agencies and to limit the amount of money that can be spent gambling. The trouble is that gambling regulation comes mainly under the British Government, not Holyrood.