LGA responds to Children's Commissioner report on gambling addiction

Responding to a report by the Children’s Commissioner calling for changes to gambling laws, Cllr Judith Blake, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board, said:

“Councils take their responsibility to safeguard children very seriously and public health teams are already raising awareness of online harms such as gaming addiction and gambling. We support these calls for laws to be tightened to protect vulnerable children from gambling and gaming addictions.

“Compulsory PSHE classes in all secondary schools from 2020 will go some way to teach children and young people the importance of mental health, emotional wellbeing and resilience, as well as addressing issues such as bullying and online harms. Councils are keen to ensure the new curriculum helps schools to identify issues early and that children and young people can access support when they need it.

“However, government reductions to councils’ public health budgets has limited their ability to invest in essential support services such as school nurses and gambling support services.

“In addition to introducing new legislation, the Government should ensure councils have the resources they need to provide appropriate education and support to parents, schools and across the wider children’s workforce.”