The record fine levied on 888, an online gambling company, today, is a sign that Britain has a gambling problem. Sixty-nine per cent think betting is dangerous for family life; 78% fear there are too many opportunities to do it. The country has more than 400,000 problem gamblers – a figure that has grown by a third in three years. The National Council on Problem Gambling has estimated that one in five problem gamblers attempt to kill themselves, around twice the rate of other addictions. The gambling industry is a significant part of Britain’s leisure industry – it employs over 100,000 people and in 2015 contributed £10.3bn to the economy.

Source: The Guardian August 31, 2017 19:18 UTC