Views Sought Over Strategy To Reduce Gambling Harm

12 February 2026
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Andrew DawkinsWest Midlands


People in a city are being advised to share their experiences of betting and what issues it can cause as a council looks to safeguard vulnerable locals.


Two consultations have actually been begun by City of Wolverhampton Council, one for grownups and the other for children and young individuals.


Evidence suggested 1.2% of the city's population satisfied the requirements to be referred to as problem gamblers, more than double the nationwide average, a spokesperson said.


The experiences individuals share will go into decreasing the harm from the problem, they added.


Harms could consist of monetary hardship, relationship breakdown and mental health concerns, the representative stated.


From 2019-22, 70 Wolverhampton locals looked for assistance from the charity Aquarius, which supports individuals impacted by betting.


But the council representative said they estimated 8,570 people could have gained from the group's support.


Signs that somebody might have an issue with gambling consist of sensations of stress and anxiety or stress around their gaming practice, more than they can pay for to lose, and gambling ever larger quantities of money to feel the very same "high" as previously.


Councillor Obaida Ahmed said the authority wanted their strategy to be shaped by genuine experiences and "grounded in what our communities inform us they need".


"Your voice matters - whether you have actually been personally affected, know somebody who has, or simply wish to add to a safer, much healthier city," she included, with a due date for comments by 20 March.


Research from the yearly nationwide Youth and Gambling Survey 2025 showed a noteworthy rise in gambling participation among 11 to 17 year olds, with 30% reporting that they had invested their own money on betting in the previous year, up from 27% in 2024.


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