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In 2019, the National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms in Great Britain (the “National Strategy”) was released with the goal of moving faster and going further to reduce harm from gambling. It has two key objectives: (1) prevention and education, and (2) treatment and support. As a strategic priority, an effective prevention and education plan is based on evidence of effective (and ineffective) initiatives that have been used for programmes and interventions to prevent gambling harm.
The National Strategy approaches preventing and educating about gambling harm from a public health perspective. Experiences of gambling harm for the whole population are considered, rather than limiting the focus to the small minority of people with gambling problems. Gambling related harm radiates outward from the gambler to effect close personal relationships, communities, and society at large. To address harm at these different levels, a comprehensive gambling harm prevention and education strategy draws upon multiple sectors and government departments, recognising that many different groups have a role to play in preventing gambling harm.
The measures needed to form a comprehensive prevention and education plan benefit people at three levels: universal (for the whole population), selective (for at-risk groups), and indicated (for at-risk individuals). Measures are courses of action to be implemented for an effective gambling harm prevention and education plan. At each level, the National Strategy identifies key measures. Some measures have received considerable research attention already, while others are newly identified. To manage the broad scope and varying levels of evidence available for each topic, the review is structured by level of measure into subtopics, or chapters.
| Purpose of the review |
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This comprehensive review of evidence will help to inform the prevention and education objective of the National Strategy in two ways. First, it provides information to support evidence-based approaches to gambling harm prevention and education in Great Britain at varying levels. Second, by doing so it can help to determine the right mix of prevention and education interventions to inform policy, regulatory, and other actions by a range of stakeholders, and avoid interventions that are less effective or have unintended consequences. |
| Greo's role in the gambling harm Prevention and Education Review |
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In support of the National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms, Greo undertook a comprehensive review in support of the Prevention and Education strategic priority. Greo is an independent, not-for-profit knowledge translation and exchange organisation with experience in generating, synthesising, and mobilising research across the health and wellbeing sectors. As part of its work programme, Greo provides support to the Research to inform action and Evaluation enablers of the National Strategy. The project scope of this review was established by Greo in consultation with the Gambling Commission. |
| Commissioning the authors |
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Individual chapter authors were selected through a non-competitive process based on demonstrated international expertise in areas identified by the Gambling Commission as relevant to the measures selected for review. Authors with expertise in a topical area and familiarity with the public health approach to gambling harm were invited to participate. Only one researcher declined to participate due to the limited available evidence base for the measure best suited to their expertise. The authors received compensation directly from Greo as part of the larger project. Two of the chapter authors were Greo staff members with expertise in the content and methodological approach for their topics. They completed their chapters as part of their employment responsibilities and received no additional compensation for doing so. All authors were provided with the project scope and guidelines for their contributions to ensure consistency across chapters. Research protocols for each chapter, as well as the author biographies and conflict of interest statements are found in the Chapter Documentation section of the documentation hub. |
| Greo's Transparency Statement |
| Greo is a not-for-profit that works with organisations and researchers to mobilize research across the health and wellbeing sectors, including safer gambling and harm reduction.
Greo acts as an independent third-party to manage research initiatives with a focus on integrity and intellectual freedom of researchers. Greo also delivers knowledge translation services and has received funds in the last three years from:
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| Funding Disclosure Statement for the Prevention and Education Review |
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Greo’s funding for the Prevention and Education Review is derived from regulatory settlements in lieu of financial penalties from operators in Great Britain. The Commission reviews and approves proposals for destinations of regulatory settlements. Under the terms of a settlement, there is to be no publicity or benefit for the operator in connection with the regulatory settlement. The monies represent a restricted payment to Greo to accelerate progress towards delivery of the National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms. The Prevention and Education Review has been conducted with the support of an Advisory Committee with a mandate to provide guidance and oversight to strengthen the quality and defensibility of the review, and to support mobilisation and uptake of the review findings. The Advisory Committee comprises representatives from the Gambling Commission, Public Health England, Advisory Board for Safer Gambling, and University of Massachusetts. |