On December 4, the Gordon Moody Association announced the opening of the world’s first gambling treatment center for women in the Midlands.
All-Inclusive Treatment Center
The first-ever gambling addiction treatment center for women is planned to open in the Midlands next year, as research by the Gordon Moody Association (GMA) shows an increase in gambling among women in the UK.
Gambling therapy charity Gordon Moody Association announced on December 4 plans to open the world’s first therapy center for women severely harmed by problem gambling. Twenty-four women will receive treatment for negative gambling behaviors in a safe environment on a yearly basis.
The charity has promised the new program will be inclusive of LGBT and BAME (“black, Asian and minority ethnic”) communities “as well as other ethnic and minority groups as the UK Gambling Commission evidences the prevalence of gambling-related harm to be higher among these groups.” Women from ethnic and minority groups will have access to support “tailored to [their] needs.”
Counseling will be available to families and friends of gamblers and GMA “[aims] to provide support for up to 120 women a year affected by another’s gambling.”
Problem-Gambling on The Rise Amongst Women
As gambling addiction tends to be further hidden for women gamblers and as the Covid-19 pandemic deeply impacted the needed resources for treatment and prevention, there is an urgency to tackle problem gambling, Gordon Moody CEO Matthew Hickey declared.
“[GMA] has been addressing this challenge for a number of years through its retreat and counseling program, and we now have plans to expand our treatment capacity within the next year to help urgently deal with this growing challenge,” Mr. Hickey added.
The charity plans to provide training for “expert therapists” and more capacity to treat problem-gamblers and those affected.
According to GMA’s statement, the organization’s retreat and counseling program received more than 160 applications for only 36 available places, highlighting a rise in the number of women harmed by gambling.
According to 2019 data from Gamble Aware, Gamcare, and Gambling Therapy, women made up 30% of all helpline calls, about 9,000 women, with 41% of the callers seeking help for themselves and 59% for another person.
Gambling Therapy, GMA’s website, reported a 76% increase in the number of visits from the UK year on year, at 90,000. More than 100,000 women accessed the website, hitting a total of more than one million visits from women.
“The number of women gambling in the UK has increased significantly in recent years. The rise of online gambling and the targeting of women with gambling advertising has led to an increased uptake of gambling amongst women in the UK.”
Annika Lindberg, GMA trustee
Core Funding Supported by InTouch Games
Online casino operator InTouch Games Limited donated to the GMA to support “a unique and ground-breaking project,” the company commented. This investment, while helping GMA’s program, will also raise awareness among InTouch Games staff, customers, and partners and promote safer gambling activities.
“Working with the talented and dedicated team at Gordon Moody is undoubtedly deepening our knowledge and appreciation of issues surrounding problem gambling which, in turn, drives our commitment to do everything we can to protect our customers from experiencing harm”, a spokesperson at InTouch Games said.