Purpose

Over the past few years there has been
increasing recognition of the preventable harms from gambling
industry products and practices experienced by individuals,
families, communities and society as a whole.
 
Sheffield has been taking steps to address
these harms for some time, however this report introduces the
city’s first Gambling Harm Prevention Strategy.  Co-produced by the Sheffield Gambling Harms
Stakeholder Group, the strategy sets out a comprehensive plan as to
what we will do at a local level to prevent gambling harms in the
city.

Content

11.1

The Strategic Director of Public Health and
Integrated Commissioning submitted a report seeking the adoption,
endorsement and implementation of the Gambling Harms Prevention
Strategy for Sheffield 2024-2034. The aim of the strategy is to
ensure that there is a coordinated approach to preventing and
reducing gambling harms in Sheffield; harms which may be affecting
as many as 45,000 local people.
 
Over the past few years there has been increasing
recognition of the preventable harms from gambling industry
products and practices experienced by individuals, families,
communities and society as a whole.

 
Sheffield has been taking steps to address these
harms for some time, however this report introduces the
city’s first Gambling Harms Prevention Strategy. Co-produced
by the Sheffield Gambling Harms Stakeholder Group, the strategy
sets out a comprehensive plan as to what we will do at a local
level to prevent and reduce gambling harms in
Sheffield.

 

 

11.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Strategy and
Resources Policy Committee:-

 

 

 

(a) notes the
content of the report now submitted and of the Gambling Harms
Prevention Strategy for Sheffield 2024-2034; and
 
(b) adopts and
endorse the Gambling Harms Prevention Strategy for Sheffield
2024-2034.

 

 

11.3

Reasons for Decision

 

 

11.3.1

As many as one
in twelve people in the UK - that is nearly 5.5 million individuals
- may be experiencing the harms from gambling industry products and
practices. In Sheffield this equates to as many as 45,000 local
residents.

 

 

11.3.2

The harms from gambling are many and varied and include negative
impacts on mental health, physical health, relationships, finances
and housing. These harms are not distributed equally in
society.

 

 

11.3.3

Whilst Sheffield has been taking steps to reduce these harms for
some time, the adoption and endorsement of the first Gambling Harms
Prevention Strategy for Sheffield 2024-2034 will provide a clear
and agreed framework and plan for local
action.

 

 

11.4

Alternatives Considered and
Rejected

 

 

11.4.1

Alternative Option 1: Do nothing further to prevent and reduce
gambling harms.
Given the public health impacts of gambling harms, their
economic burden and the adverse consequences to individuals,
families and communities in Sheffield, including disadvantaged
groups, this option was rejected.

 

 

11.4.2

Alternative Option 2: Continue to take action to prevent and
reduce gambling harms without an agreed strategy in
place.
This option was rejected as co-producing, adopting and
implementing a local, place-based strategy to address gambling
harms provides clarity, focus and direction with evidence-based
priorities and actions aligned to these that use limited resources
to best effect.