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Underage gambling literature review

tore — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 11:56:59 +0000

The UK Gambling Commission continues to extend the study and knowledge of gambling, and recently commissioned a literature review on children and young people gambling, which was undertaken by Professor Gill Valentine from the University of Leeds.

The intention of the review is to provide the Gambling Commission with a solid evidence base to strengthen its understanding of the impact of gambling on children. The review also identifies gaps in literature and where appropriate provides recommendations for further research.

Main findings established by Professor Valentine were:

* A high proportion of children and young people gamble. When compared to adults, a significantly higher proportion of children and young people are either problem gamblers or at risk of becoming problem gamblers.

* Whilst accessibility to gambling opportunities appears to correlate with participation, attempts by regulatory means to restrict access can only be at best partially successful because young people find ways around them, including with the help of their parents.

* The research highlights the potential usefulness of a public health model (incorporating prevention, education and harm reduction) when tackling gambling by children and young people. This is an area where Great Britain appears to be less developed than other jurisdictions and is currently being considered by the Review of Gambling Research, Education and Treatment.

The literature review makes a number of recommendations for further research, which include the need to explore parental attitudes towards underage gambling.

Readers can view the full report at http://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/UploadDocs/publications/Document/LitReviewChildrenYoungPeople.PDF

EU Trade Commissioner back in UK cabinet

tore — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 11:55:50 +0000

Peter Mandelson is a name which online gambling industry observers have become familiar with over the past year due to his leadership of the EU team pressing the United States on the discriminatory nature of that country’s online gambling bans.

Acting at the behest of the Remote Gaming Association, a trade association which counts most of Britains major gambling companies among its members, Mandelson has been active for the past four years as the European Union’s Trade Commissioner, and has been involved in initiating investigations into the inequities of the UK system and the damage this has done to EU-based companies.

Mandelson will no longer remain engaged in EU matters following news from the UK as the week ended however. He has been invited by Prime Minister Gordon Brown to join the UK Cabinet…for the third time. His responsibilities will be as Business Secretary, a busy and important appointment that precludes his continued attachment to the Brussels headquarters of the EU.

The Leader of the House of Lords, Baroness Ashton, will replace Mandelson in Brussels.

The EU trade commissioner was twice forced to resign from former PM Tony Blair’s cabinet, reports the BBC, which quoted Prime Minister Brown as saying that he needed “serious people for serious times” and that Mandelson had unrivalled experience in global trade. “He has built up a reputation over the last few years as someone who can get things done,” said the Prime Minister.

Mandelson has been a controversial figure, resigning twice from cabinet posts - once over a loan from his ministerial colleague Geoffrey Robinson and once over allegations of misconduct over a passport application for the Hinduja brothers. He was later cleared of any wrongdoing.