Downside playing referrals doubled in Northern Eire final yr, in addition to a notable rise in women seeking support.
The information comes from Extern Downside Playing’s Barry Grant and Claire Donegan, who briefed the All Get together Group on Lowering Hurt Associated to Playing on Tuesday, January 27. The group provides on-line and app-based help to these scuffling with downside playing, serving to greater than 12,000 individuals throughout the island of Eire.
At the moment the APG met to listen to a briefing from Claire Donegan and Barry Grant from @ExternProbGam on the organisation's vital work and what it’s doing to help individuals experiencing gambling-related harms. pic.twitter.com/bAFoKouGjf
— Lowering Hurt Associated to Playing APG (@GamHarmAPG) January 27, 2026
Grant said that the variety of referrals in Northern Eire has roughly doubled within the final yr, with choice given to Northern Eire referrals as there are few comparable companies that supply options to residents. As well as, the variety of girls searching for assist has risen.
Grant additionally famous that there are extra land-based playing addictions in Northern Eire than in comparison with the Republic of Eire, explaining that it’s thought that is because of the distinction land-based playing merchandise out there between the 2 nations.
As only one instance, Fastened-Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs) can be found in Northern Eire, however don’t exist within the south, whereas Northern Eire additionally has fewer alcohol and age-related restrictions on gaming machines. Extern urged the group to introduce laws to ascertain an Workplace of Playing Regulator to enhance safety for susceptible individuals.
Downside playing in girls
Donegan expanded on the state of affairs for ladies, presenting a abstract of Extern’s Girls’s Playing Help Community (WGSN), which incorporates one-to-one restoration plans, group help conferences, on-line companies, and a 10-week module-based restoration plan. Since its introduction, 42 girls have sought assist from the community, a 328% enhance from earlier than its inception. She additionally highlighted that land-based playing is extra prevalent in older girls.
When requested about how girls are growing points with downside playing for ladies, Donegan defined that many use playing as a stress response or a type of escapism from caregiving duties. Some girls additionally use casino-based merchandise, notably amongst older girls, for social causes.
Eire’s All Get together Group not too long ago called for a gambling tax hike to lift funds to help these with points with downside playing and cut back gambling-related hurt.
Featured picture: All Party Group on Reducing Harm Related to Gambling
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