The NHS estimates that there are 400,000 “problem gamblers” in Britain today ALAMYThe NHS has written to the bosses of the big betting companies, calling on them to end their aggressive tactics, which are fuelling gambling addiction across Britain. Claire Murdoch, the NHS mental health chief, wrote to bookmakers warning of the “devastating” impact of gambling addiction on society. She said that the NHS “should not be expected to pick up the pieces”. She said that NHS was expecting to spend an additional £2.3 billion on mental health services by 2023, and would be opening 14 more gambling addiction clinics across the country, including one for under-18s. “As the head of England’s mental health services and a nurse of more than 30 years’ experience, I have seen first-hand the devastating impact on mental wellbeing of addiction and…

Source: The Times January 16, 2020 09:00 UTC