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OVER NINE IN every 10 people reported by the HSE as being treated for a gambling addiction in the past four years were men, new statistics have shown.
Furthermore, it is predominantly young men who present for gambling addiction with the median age of those seeking treatment in recent years at 35 years old.
Sinn Féin’s health spokesperson Louise O’Reilly told TheJournal.ie that the available evidence to date shows that the problem of gambling within society is now “more complex and far more widespread than ever” and a variety of responses are needed to deal with this crisis.
‘Not representative’
Last week, TheJournal.ie revealed figures from the HSE which showed the numbers of people who presented with gambling as the main problem, as reported to the National Drug Treatment Reporting System (NDTRS).
However, as reporting to the NDTRS is optional, the HSE pointed out that its figures in this regard don’t paint an accurate picture of the scale of gambling addiction in Ireland.
It said: “Therefore, these figures cannot be considered complete or representative of the treatment for gambling in a national context.”
In any case, the figures show that the number of cases were people presented with problem gambling were 208 in 2015, 195 in 2016 and 219 in 2017.
With the figures to date for 2018 only covering 60% of cases, the HSE that it had observed 174 cases.
This means that there were at least just under 800 cases where the HSE treated a patient for a gambling addiction in the past four years.
Demographics
Breaking down the numbers, the overwhelming majority of people who present for treatment for a gambling addiction are male, and under 50.
According to figures from the HSE for 2015 to 2017, over 80% of cases treated for gambling were aged between 20 and 49.
The median age for those entering treatment was 35 years of age.
Furthermore, over 90% of cases treated for gambling were male.
In terms of where in the country the problem is most prevalent, the HSE indicated which community healthcare organisations (CHO) area had the most.
There are nine such areas across Ireland.
The highest number of cases in 2015 and 2017 came from individuals who reside in CHO 4 which covers Cork and Kerry.
In 2015, 25% of cases came from either Cork and Kerry. In 2017, this figures was 24%.
In 2016, the highest number of cases (25%) came from CHO 5 – which covers south Tipperary, Carlow/Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford.
In terms of where these people received their treatment, the highest proportion was in this CHO 5 in both 2015 and 2016.
In 2017, it was in Dublin south, Kildare and west Wicklow community healthcare programmes that most people received treatment.
O’Reilly added that health services need to step up in terms of how they spread the right messages on problem gambling.
She said: “All the available evidence points to the fact that it is predominantly young men who are suffering from problem gambling and our health services have to be able to educate about this problem and reach out to these young men in a targeted way.
There is no doubt in my mind that there are teenagers and men in their 20s who are currently developing problem gambling habits that undiagnosed and untreated will escalate to the point where it destroys their lives and the lives of their loved ones.
We have to be totally proactive here – while problem gambling is not necessarily a new problem it is now more complex and far more widespread than ever before, and we need to ensure the health service, society, and politicians are responding accordingly.
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It would be helpful and responsible for this article to include the details of organisations people can contact if they require support in relation to problem gambling or a gambling addiction
@Kate Myra Loughnane: Dunlewey support is usually the one the posters in bookies
@Kate Myra Loughnane:
https://www.problemgambling.ie
Gambling company advertising has increased by over 500% in recent year’s. Targeting young men to use mobile apps. Research shows you are twice as likely to become addicted betting on mobile device’s.
I think a gender quota is needed.
As my wise old Uncle used to say “when I see a bookmaker on a bicycle, then I will start gambling” !
@GerryCummins: bet he did
@bmul: I like those odds
@GerryCummins: what are the odds ?
Interesting to see the gambling add in the middle of the article.
@Pius Flynn: yeah…. you know how cookies work on sites, yeah? It’s all targeted advertising. You’re seeing a gambling ad because you have previously searched for gambling sites and/or apps. Conversely, Im seeing ads for family likfe and freakin lidl sales (coz im that bloody interesting)… if you dont want to see these targeted ads, either disable cookies or else regularly delete them. If you dont know how, google is a great tool! Hope this helps :)
@Pius Flynn: I got an ad for a car. Are you in the 90%?
@Pius Flynn: I see no ads at all
@thomas patrick: Ad for a car here as well. This guy is probably spoofing his jocks off for likes. Sure I was on paddy power last night betting the gaff on red.
Now that I’m totally f*cked I need some help. I’ve setup a go fund me page to get back on my feet. Plz donate anything you can.
@Pius Flynn: Ad for Daft.ie for me, you’re seeing that because you gamble
Gambling was always a problem in this country. My da who is 76 and never gambled in his life told me that my granddad gambled and drank every penny he earned. But back then it was only when the bookies was open. Now it’s open until 9.30 most nights covering American racing and virtual racing and just Incase you didn’t loose all your money you can go home and lose it online 24/7. The bookies are cleaning up. The hole online thing should be stopped when the bookies close
Gambling is a state endorsed addictive programme to gather taxes, with no regard to the resulting social damage. Gambling destroys families, it’s probably always one member of the family that is seduced. Why are gambling outlets so acceptable and tolerated? Hi
@Harry Moore: gambling is a state funded leisure activity which takes in very little tax. It should be taxed as much as cigarettes and alcohol and the money used for the benefit of everyone.
My ex gambled every day of his life, he still does just like his father and his brothers…. He used to bring our child into the local branch and when I found out I had to go to head office to get it stopped immediately. The employees there didn’t see any harm in a 3 year old looking at horse racing for hours on end, he’s autistic and still gets visibly excited when we drive past a bookies….. I despise gambling of any sort. Needless to say, the ex has nothing to his name and still doesn’t see anything wrong with his actions. They have to seek help and unfortunately chasing the loss/win is all that matters, it’s a hard lesson for the families but it was the best decision I made in walking away to protect my child. Monkey see’s and all that
@Asha:
Not a nice situation, best of luck.
As a rep who calls to on average 10 shops a day for the last 15 years. I see a lot of mainly women alot of them older, who spend a lot of money on scratch cards, tele bingo lotto etc. And if you talk to the staff they’ll tell you how often they are in gambling. This is gambling that the HSE knows nothing about and they will probably never seek help.
@FartyTowels: hmm you cannot just tar everybody with the same brush….not everyone who drinks in a pub has a drinking problem…not everyone who likes to gamble has a gambling problem….some of the comments here are baffling….Yeah i saw a woman in a pub and the HSE doesnt report that….FFS
@Dave Hammond: ok Dave.
Ah but it’s really the women that suffer
@Mumpsimus: correction-everyone around the gambler suffers
Is the other 10% the Aul Wans at the tills across the country wasting their money on scratch cards? It’s as big a problem as online gambling if you ask me!
@Ciarán Kelly: Absolutely. The Lottery is a tax on the poor.
Gambling is a state endorsed addictive programme to gather taxes, with no regard to the resulting social damage. Gambling destroys families, it’s probably always one member of the family that is seduced. Why are gambling outlets so acceptable and tolerated?
@Harry Moore: its probably always? Sounds like you’re chancing your arm! What’s your opinion on pubs Harry may I ask?
I think the betting industry needs to be more tightly regulated. Ease of access, its power in advertising and the fact that it sends its clients free bets in order to entice them to gamble is alarming.
Such a scary statistic. These young men need dedicated help
The headline is misleading! 90% or just over were male, median was 35? What do you describe as young males? Understanding of stats can be handy for, you know, describing them accurately! Gambling while obviously on the rise and problems with it cause serious social issues, at the same time same could be said about any addiction really. There seems to be a concerted witch hunt on this in particular lately. Alcohol not flavour of the month these days!
@ThatLJD: I mean…just repeating the facts stated in the article in an angry, reactionary way is a weird response. How about…we get those supports to help people anyway?
Seems a much better idea than ranting about nothing because of reasons.
Am trying t figure out why the HSE is using my tax’s for this ???
One of my family members lost his marriage , his children and his home as a result of gambling. In later years he gave up gambling but he was unable to repair the damage done to his family.
He had all the answers as part of his job was dealing with people suffering from Drug Addiction but he still did it. A very serious addiction that’s hard to overcome.
Yesterday on Sean O Rourke also it was revealing to hear Stats re Driving by Males mostly under 35.
79% of people killed in RTA are male.
75% of pedestrians killed are male.
97% of motor cyclists killed are male.
66% of cyclists are male.
It is a huge problem and worse than alcohol
@P.Bradley: agree. You can only drink so much alcohol. You can gamble money you don’t have and it can be well hidden.
That outcome was 1/20 certainty.
Telly bingo, Bingo Halls, Arcade Slots is also a form of gambling odds are majority in this niche are female. But hey this is not gambling I’ve never set foot in a bookies in my life.
The betting industry as far as I can see makes no effort to help gambling addicts. One large bookmakers in Ireland will let someone self exclude themselves from shops but only four of them and only for six months. They must come back in to the shop to renew the self exclusion. What help is that?
And the government still champions PP and all the in your face gambling materials every day
Just start shutting down all the bookies. Odds on it will solve most issues.
It’s like getting BAM to do a job you’re on a loser if you think it will come in on price
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