Glasgow considers tackling gambling advertising

Councillors in Glasgow will consider the possibility of cracking down on gambling advertising after a consultant said that gambling is prevalent in youth.

Scotland.- Glasgow will consider the possibility of tackling gambling advertising. Councillors in the Scottish territory will look into which authority they have to crack down on gambling advertising, as it is believed to be a rising force among youth.

A consultant for the Scottish Public Health Network, Dr Mchelle Gillies, told elected members how gambling is rising among adolescents in the UK. She said that gambling is more prevalent than smoking, alcohol and drugs, Evening Times reported.

After labelling gambling as a “significant public health issue”, councillors backed an initiative for a summit in Glasgow to consider plans to tackle the problem.

Bailie Annette Christie, convener for the Wellbeing, Empowerment, Community and Citizen Engagement committee, said that research into gambling marketing campaigns, online gambling advertising and the increasing conflation between gambling and gaming, reveals “the complex nature of exposure to gambling for children, young people and vulnerable individuals.”

“It has been identified that specific measures to ensure that children, young people, their parents and carers are aware of risks and harms associated with gambling, and how to keep themselves safe, need to be developed. The whole sector must come together to reduce problem gambling and the harm it causes and our aim is to put Glasgow at the forefront in tackling this issue,” she added.