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With scratch card sales increasing year on year, the States have finally said something will be done to tackle the problem of gambling addiction in the Bailiwick.
Nearly £11million was raised through Channel Islands Lottery sales in 2017, with almost £10million of that coming from scratch cards alone, with the Committee for Home Affairs, which is responsible for gambling in Guernsey, saying lottery revenues continue to increase as scratch cards become more popular with the public.
The instant win format was brought in to replace fortnightly draws in 2003, with sales reportedly increasing "very significantly between 2011 and 2017 with the introduction of a progressively wider range of scratch card games with values of £2, £5 and £10."
While in 2017 scratch card sales were worth £9.6m in Guernsey, which is equivalent to about £150 per person, the annual Christmas Lottery only saw ticket sales of £1.1m (£17 per person) during the same year. Further, data from the States proves that while the distribution of Christmas lottery revenues between Guernsey and Jersey broadly reflects the different population in each Island, scratch card revenues in Guernsey in 2017 were 32% higher than those in Jersey, despite Guernsey’s smaller population.
Worryingly, the data collected through the 2012/13 States household expenditure survey also demonstrated that "lower income households spend more on gambling activities relative to the size of their income than those with greater financial resources."
Pictured: Christmas Lottery tickets went up to £3 each last year - but the number sold was said to be comparable with previous years.
Earlier this month, Guernsey's Magistrate's Court sentenced a man who was addicted to scratch cards and was caught stealing them from his employer.
He was described in court as an addict, which led to deputies, including Neil Inder, saying something had to be done about the issue.
Cardboard crack is alive and well in Guernsey. Nothing to see here, focus on substance abuse @HeidiSoulsby @mkleclerc @DeputyMaryLowe https://t.co/nsfuWMX2zJ
— tothevale (@tothevale) February 16, 2019
After that was reported by Express, Deputy Heidi Soulsby, President of Health & Social Care, said the Director of Pubic Health had been spurred into action by the available statistics, as she planned on leading a review into gambling as a whole, which will entail an investigation into scratch cards.
Now, it's been confirmed that will include a health impact assessment which will specifically take into account the sale of scratch cards in Guernsey.
HSC will be working with the Committee for Home Affairs and the States’ Trading Supervisory Board (STSB) to conduct a health impact assessment of gambling which will look at "gambling participation and behaviours locally, with a focus on problem gambling."
Terms of reference for the Review are being developed and it will need funding which will have to be decided by the Policy & Resources Committee.
Pictured: Online gambling is considered as big a problem as scratchcards by some.
Problem gambling is sometimes described as 'gambling to a degree that compromises, disrupts or damages family, personal or recreational pursuits.'
HSC says an understanding of the magnitude and type of gambling, including problem gambling, in the island will give staff an evidence base to inform local service provision for problem gamblers.
“Working collaboratively across service areas, we will be initiating a project to determine the prevalence of gambling locally. We will be looking at the health impact of problem gambling and the review will also inform what services we need to tackle problem gambling locally,” said Dr Nicola Brink, Director of Public Health.
“STSB’s mandate includes oversight of the administration and promotion of the ChannelIslands Lottery. As part of that responsibility, we want to create a positive experience for participants, providing the best return to the charity sector and other notable good causes, in line with the policies agreed by the States, but in a responsible manner. We welcome the health impact assessment into gambling and will collaborate with HSC where required,” said Jon Taylor, Senior Lottery Officer.
Vice-President of Health & Social Care, Deputy Rhian Tooley, added “This recognises that, whilst most people who gamble may do so safely most of the time, problem gambling can be harmful for some. This includes binge gambling, excessive gambling, periods of loss of control and a more serious gambling addiction. The resulting harm impacts not only on the gambler, but also on families, friends, communities and employers. It is important we understand what these headline numbers really mean so we can develop services to address identified areas of concern.”
“With a mandate to advise the States and to develop and implement policies on lotteries and gambling, the Committee for Home Affairs will consider the findings of this impact assessment very carefully. If the evidence points to the need to change the Island’sgambling legislation, this is what we will look to do by making recommendations to the States. Although the Channel Island Lottery is operated and promoted by the STSB, Home Affairs, in partnership with Health & Social Care, will consider asking the States to provide policy guidance to STSB in respect of scratch cards,” added Deputy Lowe, President of Home Affairs.
The review is expected to be completed by the end of 2019.
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