The next item is the short debate. We will wait a few seconds as Members leave the Chamber quietly. 

The short debate, therefore, on Wales’s invisible problem—the social impact of gambling. I call on Jayne Bryant. 

Diolch, Llywydd. I've agreed to allow Mick Antoniw and Jane Hutt to have a minute each in this debate.

Gambling has a long history. Most of us have gambled in one form or another at some point in our lives. Last year, over half the UK population aged 16 and over gambled—from a game of bingo and a flutter at the bookmakers to the National Lottery and betting online, it's now easier than ever to gamble. For the majority of people, gambling is likely to be an infrequent, fun and social activity—a form of entertainment played with reasonable boundaries and limitations. Increasingly, however, this is a fine line, and some groups are at risk of developing hazardous gambling behaviour, potentially leading to more harmful gambling addiction. With less than a month to go before Christmas, problem gambling might not be something we associate with the festive season, but while it is a happy time, it can be anxious and stressful for many. Christmas can put financial strains on individuals and families, particularly in our credit-orientated, buy now, pay later consumer culture.

The Deputy Presiding Officer took the Chair.

Worryingly, the Children's Society have estimated that 43 per cent of families in Wales are expected to borrow more money to pay for Christmas—the highest proportion of all regions in the UK. Gambling can present an attractive escape route for those desperately seeking to pay off debt accrued during the Christmas period. For many, the painful financial effect of Christmas won't be felt until the new year. February always shows a huge spike in gambling rates, with the arrival of credit bills for several months earlier. Individuals facing critical financial pressures are more likely to think that they have nothing to lose when placing a bet.

Experts in problem gambling, Newport Citizens Advice, in my constituency, provide one of the few face-to-face services for people struggling specifically with gambling addiction. Their knowledge and expertise on the issue of problem gambling in Wales is invaluable and I would like to take this opportunity to commend them to the Cabinet Secretary.

Problem gambling can be defined as a situation in which gambling disrupts or damages personal, family or recreational pursuits. It's now widely accepted that it has the potential to become a disorder comparable to that of drug or alcohol addiction. Anyone who gets caught up in the downward spiral of problem gambling finds only too soon that the negative impact on his or her life can be devastating. Finding money to gamble is usually the most immediate and obvious issue, which brings with it enough problems. But an all-consuming compulsion to gamble at any cost leads to difficulties that affect employment, quality of life, family relationships and mental and physical health.

The Gambling Commission has highlighted that more than 2 million people in the UK are either problem gamblers or at risk of addiction and warned that the UK Government and the industry were not doing enough to tackle this problem. Carolyn Harris MP, who has been a tenacious campaigner on problem gambling, has consistently raised this issue in Westminster, saying that this problem is not going away; in fact, it's getting worse. She and others have been severely critical of the industry, particularly with the prevalence of fixed-odd betting terminals, which have become known as the crack cocaine of gambling.

Identification of a gambling problem is paramount if an individual is to receive help. For some people, recognition of a problem is straightforward. For many individuals, however, problem gambling remains undiagnosed, often co-existing with debt, mental health or substance misuse. For those who turn to gambling in difficult personal and financial times, the temptation to risk it all in the hope of a win can be too much. The problem is exacerbated, as significant gambling debts are often accrued secretly without the family's knowledge. Uncovering this secret  debt has a truly devastating impact on individuals and families. The health and well-being of partners, children and friends can all be negatively affected. Harm can also extend to employers, communities and the economy. The numbers of those who experience harm as a result of gambling by others will be considerably greater than the number of people who harm themselves. 

In 2014 Aneurin Bevan Local Health Board, which covers my own constituency, identified gambling addiction as a significant concerning issue. It's report 'New and Emerging Threats to the Health of the Gwent Population' suggests that health professionals working in primary care services, alongside mental health and social care, can all play an important role in diagnosis and referral for help. 

While Wales may have limited powers in terms of gambling regulation, addiction to gambling is increasingly being recognised as a public health concern. It's for this reason that I and several fellow Assembly Members became interested in finding out more about problem gambling in Wales. We decided to commission the University of South Wales to undertake an investigation into the social impacts of problem gambling, as very little Wales-specific data exist. By focusing on Newport, Pontypridd, Wrexham, Vale of Glamorgan and Clwyd South, the report gives us a snapshot of the impact of problem gambling across the country. As Assembly Members, we were concerned at the anecdotal evidence from constituents relating to problem gambling. We felt that it was an ever-increasing problem that led to personal struggles, alcohol dependency, poor health, family breakdown, debt, poverty and homelessness.

Earlier this month, Mick Antoniw and I launched a report entitled 'An investigation of the social impact of problem gambling in Wales' here in the Senedd with the University of South Wales. The academics involved came from a variety of disciplines, which gave the report extra depth, and I'd like to put on record my thanks to the University of South Wales and all those who worked on it. I'd commend you all to read it, but I will make a couple of key points on the report.

The findings of the report highlighted that the scale of potential gambling addiction in Wales is much higher than previous studies have indicated. The report noted that over a quarter of the Welsh population were potentially at risk of impaired gambling behaviour. This was a significant increase on the 2015 Gambling Commission report that suggested that 5 per cent of the population were at high risk. Online gambling was also found to be much higher compared to the same 2015 study, 11 per cent compared to 5 per cent, and the same trend was uncovered for fixed-odd betting terminals.

The report also revealed that gambling is becoming an increasingly hidden problem. The majority of people gamble alone, and opportunities to easily indulge gambling are abundant. Mobile phone apps and websites mean that now people can gamble anywhere at any time. Clusters of licensed gambling outlets in deprived geographical areas mean that to visit a fixed-odd betting terminal in a local betting shop is easily accessible.

Addictions carry a stigma, and problem gambling is no different. Individuals are very reluctant to admit having a problem, even if they recognise it themselves. Importantly, the personal stories shared in the report provide an insight into the social impact and experiences behind the statistics. One said fixed-odd betting terminal gambling

'drove me to attempt suicide a few years ago. I cannot control my gambling when online or playing Fobt machines.’ 

Some highlighted the impact gambling has on family life, saying, 'It kills families', and it's a problem

'that's hidden, and usually not helped. And, nowadays, it's too easy...on phones, online, in shops, they should be covered in black just like the cigarettes.’

Another said:

'I have a parent who gambled excessively for 25 years. I had to help them out financially to stop them losing their home.’

These statements are a sample of the stark reality of the hidden human cost of gambling addiction, and it's our duty as Assembly Members to support our constituents.

The worrying density of licensed gambling outlets in deprived geographical areas is striking. More research is needed into the effect of these clusters on local and wider communities. Those living in less affluent areas are most likely to be influenced by aspirational adverts that regularly appear on tv, newspapers and online. A systematic study of online gambling should be undertaken with a focus on the effects of sophisticated advertising techniques such as tailored pop-up adverts. More research needs to be undertaken on the specific targeted adverts appealing to women and young people.

Questions need to be asked around harm prevention and treatment development. The potential systematic screening for gambling problems in proxy services, such as those for debt and addiction, must be seriously considered. One reason the magnitude of problem gambling remains hidden is that no database of individuals with a gambling addiction currently exists. But measuring the problem simply isn't enough. Early intervention treatment techniques to reduce this indisputable impact of problem gambling must be developed alongside any screening, and I'd urge the Welsh Government to look at ways of reducing the impact of problem gambling on individuals, families and communities across Wales.

The University of South Wales report, while thorough and extensive, only scratches the surface of problem gambling in Wales. We aimed for the report to give us an indication of the potential problems in different areas, and everyone involved in this project would be the first to say that this report raises more questions than it answers. It’s a snapshot across Wales, and further research needs to be undertaken. It does, however, say for certain that there is a problem in Wales, a growing one, with a devastating impact. My hope is that this report is a wake-up call for all of us to this invisible problem. Already our health and social services are picking up the pieces of lives that have already been devastated by the impact of gambling. A public health approach to gambling needs to address its effects on young and vulnerable people, on families and close associates of gamblers, and on the wider community, as well as on those who suffer harm from their own gambling. Now is the time to act.

Thank you for that really important short debate. It is a very clever point, and while I’m glad you mentioned the report, which is the first really new evidence that we’ve got specifically focused on communities in Wales, the second thing is to draw attention to the fact that we are all now being lobbied by an industry that’s getting concerned—a £37 billion industry—and we need to be very alert. This is very similar to what happened with the tobacco industry, and we will have similar sorts of representations about how it’s really about fair lobbying, just as in America it’s all about fair gun control and so on. So, that’s important.

Our concern is, of course, that we’ve got to deal with this issue, because it’s too late to deal with it once it becomes an epidemic. Can I just make a point very quickly to the Cabinet Secretary? I think what’s really important is that the Welsh Government formally recognises the gambling issue, formally decides to develop a strategy and formally decides to start carrying out research, and also demands proper funding from the Gambling Commission, from the industry, to actually fund some of this.

Can I thank Jayne Bryant for allowing me also to speak in her short debate? I was one of the AMs who jointly sponsored the study. I was interested to read the data regarding my constituency, the Vale of Glamorgan. In the report, Barry town centre was not considered high density in terms of the number of bookmakers, but the high number of amusement arcades on Barry Island was noted. Of course, that could be reflected in other seaside towns around Wales.

As has already been emphasised, the report is just the tip of the iceberg. Inevitably, it raises more questions than it answers, but I wanted to pick up on one area highlighted in the research that warrants further exploration: that is an investigation into the changing demographics targeted by the gambling industry, and that includes older people. The report states that younger people tend to be more affected by gambling, especially online gambling via phones and tablets, but we know that an increasing number of older people are using social media and engaging with new technology. How vulnerable to aggressive gambling advertising will this group of people be in the future? Furthermore, from casework, anecdotal evidence suggests that, when facing loneliness and isolation, older people can be more susceptible to scammers and gambling promotions. We’ve heard this afternoon that gambling is a hidden problem, and those who live alone and feel isolated may be particularly vulnerable and desperate to engage. Perhaps further research into the potential future risks for the elderly in relation to gambling would help answer some of the questions raised in this report.

Thank you very much. I call on the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services to reply to the debate—Vaughan.

Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I’d like to thank Jayne Bryant for bringing forward this debate today, for a very thoughtful contribution, and equally both Mick Antoniw and Jane Hutt for adding to that with particular points as well. I do welcome this opportunity for dialogue and engagement in the Chamber to discuss issues relating to the social and health impact of problem gambling. I’m pleased to say that I recognise that there is cross-party support for addressing this issue, and I’m pleased to see that the Chair of the committee has stayed in the Chamber for the debate.

Because we do know that many people, as Jayne Bryant set out, participate in gambling activities without any apparent problems. But we also know that, for some people, and an increasing number of people, gambling becomes an addiction, which leads to harmful health and social consequences. As many of us know, the prevalence of problematic gambling in Wales is relatively low, but the health and social impact is significant, and it disproportionately affects our more disadvantaged communities, who are five times more likely to have financial problems from gambling. And, of course, gambling is now more accessible than ever, as the contributors have set out. Online gambling with 24-hour access, at home, at work, anywhere we are, commuting or connecting with our mobile phones or tablet devices—and online gambling in the UK has increased between 2008 and 2014 from 9.7 per cent of the population to 15.4 per cent of the population.

Online gambling provides more people with more opportunities to gamble, with fewer restrictions, and that is transparently a very major cause for concern. There is limited player protection for those who gamble online. Gambling can of course impact on an individual's state of mind and affect their ability to function at work, intensify financial problems, and lead to increased levels of poverty. I recognise what has already been said. But, the harm from gambling to wider society includes not just the loss of economic output and the cost of treating an addiction, but the health impact and the action taken to mitigate the effect of poverty on the families affected, and the wider community impact as well. We know that this can extend into fraud and theft, as with a range of other addictions as well.

As a Government, our aim is to work across portfolios to identify the actions that we can take to reduce the prevalence of problem gambling and limit the impact it has on the people of Wales. As we know, the regulation and licensing for gambling is not devolved at present, but the Wales Act next year will provide Welsh Ministers and the Assembly with new powers in relation to fixed-odds betting terminals. The new powers, though, will only apply to new licences issued under the Gambling Act 2005, and they will only relate to game machines that allow stakes of £10 or more for a single game. The restriction is in itself disappointing. They will not apply to betting premises licences in respect of a track. So, that doesn't cover horse or dog racetracks, or any other place at which a race or other sporting event takes place. 

Fixed-odds betting has of course been a focus of much media attention in recent months. I was pleased to hear Jayne Bryant reference Carolyn Harris and her work in Parliament. The UK Government has now just launched a consultation on proposals for changes to gaming machines and social responsibility measures, with calls for greater regulation, including for fixed-odds betting stakes to be reduced to £2. That consultation closes on 23 January next year. In the meantime, we're looking at options for how we can use our new powers in the future to reduce any identified harms from this type of gambling, whilst we await with interest the final outcomes of the UK Government consultation.

I would make clear that it is the view of this Government that we should have our powers regularised. If anything is going to change the gambling architecture and the powers available, those powers should be transferred to Wales as well, rather than having an artificial divide in measures that this Government could take and other measures where the UK Government must act, or no action will take place at all in Wales. That would be a highly undesirable outcome to the consultation. I hope there will be action from the UK Government, because this is not a party political issue.

The Welsh Government recognises the need to act now to address the determinants of gambling-related harm, with the powers that are devolved to us. In Wales, we have a number of interventions and policies in place. These include the Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs, who has already commissioned a review to look at changes of land use permitted without the need for a planning application. She will consult on proposed changes in the new year. That review will also consider, as part of it, whether changes are needed to prevent the over concentration of betting shops, considering both health issues and the need to sustain the vibrancy, viability and attractiveness of established retail and commercial centres. This goes neatly back to the point that Jane Hutt made, when you think about some of our centres where there is already a concentration of this activity and you understand the form of impact that that has on that community, and not simply as a form of tourist activity.

Public Health Wales has commissioned research to map out all of the gambling venues across Wales. That should help them dovetail with the work commissioned by the Cabinet Secretary for planning. Public Health Wales's work should include a visual heat map showing the density of gambling venues geographically, which will highlight areas where gambling venues are concentrated. That will certainly aid our discussion on this issue and any steps we might then choose to take. 

We know there's no specific medical intervention for gambling, but in some cases psychological interventions can help to motivate individuals to change their behaviour. In 'Together for Mental Health' we've agreed a plan with the NHS to expand psychological therapy services for both adults and children, and we've provided an additional £4 million a year to help deliver the plan. Although patients can discuss anything with their GPs, for those affected by pathological or problematic gambling addiction, there are also other services outside the health service, like Gamblers Anonymous or GamCare, who can provide information and support.

It's worth noting that, in terms of the range of gaming opportunities that exist, many of them have in-app purchases, and there are a range of challenges that are not dissimilar to some of the problems that we recognise in gambling. Of course, there are many, many gambling games available on mobile devices.

Other organisations across Wales provide information and advice, such as citizens advice bureaux. For example, the Newport CAB is undertaking some work to support gambling-related harm, funded by GambleAware. They are delivering a gambling harm minimisation project in Wales. That aims to tackle gambling-related harm at its root through education and awareness with young people and other vulnerable groups. 

I do want to recognise the point that Mick Antoniw made about our ongoing conversation with the industry and the reality of needing to be socially responsible as far as possible, and that is an unfinished conversation. I suspect that, as we move closer to having some powers in this area, we are more likely to have a more productive conversation with the industry. 

I'm sure that people in this room will be aware that the chief medical officer is leading work on the harms caused by gambling as part of the development of his annual report, and I look forward to seeing his initial recommendations in the new year. I reiterate at this point the offer that has previously been made in answering a previous question, both to Jayne Bryant as the mover of this debate, but also to Jane Hutt and Mick Antoniw as backbenchers who helped to jointly commission this report, to meet with officials who are considering the Welsh Government's response in the new year. Having commissioned the report and taken an obvious interest, I think there'll be a useful discussion to be had with the three of them, and I'll be happy, if Members want to take up the opportunity, to arrange for that to take place. 

It is clear from the contributions today that there is agreement that we need to work and not simply to wait for the problem to escalate, and that work must take place across portfolios within Government, but also with partners outside Government. This is not an issue that one sector can tackle successfully alone. But there is an opportunity to take a leadership role in helping to reduce the number of people who experience problem gambling and those others who are affected by it. A multipartner approach has the potential to reduce the prevalence of problem gambling and the impact it has on the health of the people of Wales and the wider societal impact.

As part of that work, I reiterate again that I'd urge the UK Government to do more to tackle concerns around gambling advertising, to improve consumer protection and to maximise the various options available to address the issue of problem gambling and to protect people from gambling-related harm, including the powers that we could and should have available here in Wales; and I reiterate my commitment to working in partnership with Members in this Chamber and outside to do all that we could and should do here in Wales.  

Thank you very much. That brings today's proceedings to a close. Thank you.

The meeting ended at 20:07.