Lambeth Council is launching a new initiative to tackle gambling-related harms, funded by a national levy. The initiative aims to address the significant public health issue, which affects an estimated 41,250 adults in the borough. Within this group, approximately 8,110 are identified as being in a 'much higher risk profile group'. The Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) is used as a measure, with a PGSI score of 8-27 indicating high-risk or 'problem gamblers'. For every one person gambling at a high-risk level, an average of around six others are impacted.
The council has received £66,691.27 from the new statutory gambling levy, which is charged to all licensed gambling activity in Great Britain and is expected to generate £100 million annually. This funding is directed towards research (20%), prevention (30%), and treatment (50%) of gambling-related harm. Lambeth's allocation comes via the Office of Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) for gambling-harms prevention work.
Lambeth is collaborating with five other South East London boroughs to pool resources and develop a joint Gambling Harms Needs Assessment. This assessment has been produced and is due to be published in the Autumn. It will inform a local prevention plan.
Key proposals for the initiative include:
- Primary Prevention: Raising awareness, challenging the normalisation of gambling, tackling stigma, reducing exposure to advertising, and strengthening planning and licensing to limit the growth of gambling premises.
- Secondary Prevention: Building workforce capability through training, embedding routine enquiries about gambling harm in frontline services, improving awareness and access to support, and addressing barriers for under-represented groups. These barriers include stigma, shame, fear of judgment (especially where gambling is culturally or religiously taboo), experiences of discrimination, mistrust of statutory services, and concerns about confidentiality and potential consequences of disclosure for family relationships or immigration status. These factors can discourage disclosure and delay help-seeking, leading to escalated problems.
- Tertiary Prevention: Planning for rising demand for treatment services and improving data sharing to inform joint planning. The uptake of specialist treatment services is currently very low nationally, with around 300 referrals across all of South East London in 2024-25. While current capacity appears sufficient, projected increases in demand are not yet quantified.
Representatives from the Primary Care Gambling Service (PCGS) and Age UK Lambeth, who are delivering the Better Together
programme, presented their work to the Health and Wellbeing Board. The PCGS highlighted their national service, which offers timely treatment and education to primary care workforces. Since COVID-19, they have seen approximately 4,500 patients. Key findings from their patient demographics include an average age of 38.9 years, with significant co-morbidities: 52% experiencing depression and anxiety, 15% with substance misuse, 12% with neurodiversity, and 8% with personality disorders. Over half of their patients have depression and anxiety, and an additional 15% believe they have undiagnosed ADHD. The PCGS's holistic assessment process and varied treatment options, including CBT, psychotherapy, and trauma-focused therapy, are intended to inform the Lambeth initiative.
Age UK Lambeth's Better Together
programme focuses on community outreach, education, and personalised social prescribing, with a particular emphasis on minority communities.
The Health and Wellbeing Board was urged to note the progress and direction of travel towards a public health approach to preventing gambling harms. Further discussions are planned, with a commitment to revisit the topic in Spring/Summer 2027. The meeting agenda and public reports pack can be found at Agenda frontsheet Thursday 17-Sep-2026 18.00 Health and Wellbeing Board and Public reports pack Thursday 17-Sep-2026 18.00 Health and Wellbeing Board.
