Part of 2. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services – in the Senedd at 2:26 pm on 31 January 2018.
We will, of course, look at all the evidence available about how to treat gambling addiction in the first place, but I want to come back to your first point about the prevalence of gambling and the ease with which gambling can take place. It's no longer, if you like, an unusual or regulated activity that people have to make an effort to physically go to. There's a challenge about online gambling in particular, and there's been a recent and well-run public debate on fixed-odds betting terminals as well. Now, we're about to have new powers under the Wales Act 2017 where we could potentially do something with our powers, up to a minimum stake of £10. You'll notice that, in the report published today, the chief medical officer recommends using our powers to their fullest extent. We need to consider also the ongoing review undertaken by the UK Government where they are talking about reducing the maximum stake down to £2. The chief medical officer has put evidence in supporting that, so we need to think about how our powers may be affected if the UK Government do take that step forward. I actually think that having that general approach across the UK would be a good thing, but I'm interested in how we use our powers in restricting gambling in a way that is sensible and proportionate, recognising the harm that takes place, and at the same time about the treatments we offer for people who are caught up in gambling addiction, because I do recognise the wide social harm it can and does cause.