The leading UK gambling support charity, GamCare, has reported a significant increase in the number of individuals being referred to its services from the government-backed Money and Pensions Service (MaPS).
The data highlights the critical and often overlapping relationship between financial difficulty and gambling-related harm.
MaPS operates the MoneyHelper service, which provides free and impartial guidance on money and debt issues to people across the UK.
GamCare has been a key partner in the Money and Pensions Service quality assurance framework, and the latest figures show that the number of referrals from MoneyHelper to GamCare for gambling support is on the rise.
This trend underscores the importance of integrating gambling support within the broader financial advice sector, as many individuals who seek help for debt are also struggling with gambling problems.
By working together, the organizations can provide a more holistic and effective support system.
The collaboration involves training debt advisors to better identify the signs of gambling harm and to refer clients to specialized support services like those offered by GamCare.
This integrated approach ensures that the underlying issues contributing to a person’s financial distress are addressed, rather than just the symptoms.
The increasing referral numbers suggest that this strategy is working, successfully connecting more at-risk individuals with the help they need.
Alexa Roseblade, a senior manager at GamCare, commented on the importance of this integrated support network.
Having a network of support across sectors is a crucial part of the national approach to preventing and reducing gambling harms. Financial and gambling harms are intrinsically linked, and it is vital that people are able to access the support they need, regardless of which service they turn to first.
