Responsible Gambling Trust warns of the dangers of playing bingo
News on 29 Jul 2016
News on 29 Jul 2016
The UK Responsible Gambling Trust has warned bingo players to be careful with the largely social gaming pastime, claiming that it is causing problem gambling issues that could impact one in ten players.
The Trust recently carried out a research study which showed that nine percent of regular bingo club visitors are at a moderate risk of developing a gambling problem, while a further 2.5 percent of respondents already have one.
Of those surveyed, 96 percent thought that the game was an opportunity to socialise rather than win money….and 75 percent said the game was an excuse to get out of the house and socialise.
The survey established that of those who developed a bingo gambling problem, only 33 percent told friends and family about it, and only 7 percent sought professional support.
Iain Corby, of the Responsible Gambling Trust, said: ‘We often think of bingo as being quite a safe environment, and in many ways it is.
‘Many people cite it as a great place to go for a cup of tea and a moderately-priced meal. It’s not just about losing money though – gambling problems come in many forms, like how much time you are spending on it and if you’re spending more than you can afford, and about your relationships.
‘We know people don’t ask for help when they need it and we can get people treatment with a local counsellor within a week if that’s what they need.’
Miles Baron, chief executive of the UK Bingo Association, said: ‘The Bingo Association has always taken its commitment to social responsibility very seriously and we felt it was important to support this new research.
‘For The Bingo Association and our members, any individual with a problem is an individual too many.’
Earlier this month, statistics by the UK Gambling Commission revealed that British players lost a record GBP 12.6 billion through gambling in the 12 months to September 2015, an increase of almost 12 percent on the previous year (see previous report).
Online gambling accounted for almost a third of losses, with punters losing GBP 3.6 billion, whilst the much criticised Fixed Odds Betting Terminals in retail betting shops accounted for GBP 1.7 billion.
