The NHS APA Gambling Harms Working Group welcomes the publication of the NICE guideline on gambling-related harms.
The guideline represents an important step in developing a system-wide, evidence-based approach to supporting people who experience gambling-related harms. We particularly support it highlighting the need to reduce stigma directed towards them, to ensure the treatment and support workforce is fit-for-purpose, and to provide appropriate psychological and pharmacological interventions.
As the gambling treatment system develops over the coming years due to the funds unlocked by the gambling levy, the NICE guideline will be an important foundation for NHS and other gambling treatment providers. This will be used to refer to and review as more research is produced and our evidence-base grows. The gambling harms world remains a space where there are many competing narratives – it’s therefore critical that we remain on mission in developing robust, evidence-based, de-stigmatising systems of care for people who experience gambling-related harms.
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