Responsible gambling tools and expertise have been sacrificed by the harm reduction sector as it strives to follow new guidelines that call for the exclusion of industry influence – ripping up years of collaboration that had seen problem gambling rates reach record lows.

Problem gamblers are being let down by the loss of responsible gambling tools, expertise and entire organisations as new guidelines issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence cause upheaval in the UK’s harm reduction sector. 

The recommendations, which call for gambling treatment and support services to operate without industry influence, have triggered division within the sector, disrupting previously collaborative relationships and creating uncertainty among stakeholders. In anticipation for the new guidelines, GamCare, a key player in the sector, decided to discontinue its Safer Gambling Standard function by the end of 2024 – removing an important tool that players use to identify responsible operators. 

“GamCare’s primary focus is treatment. The Safer Gambling function was only a small part of the charity, and there were worries it could pose a potential risk to the commissioning of treatment services with the NHS,” Frank McCready, the former head of safer gambling at GamCare, told NEXT.io. “I have to say GamCare’s board of trustees gave the function the best chance of finding a new home but the uncertainty in the sector, unfortunately, ultimately led to the close down of the function in December 2024.”

As well as losing responsible gambling tools, McCready also explained how the new approach has excluded entire organisations and the vast expertise within them. He recalled a public health event in East Yorkshire last November, where groups with perceived links to the industry had their invitations revoked just 24 hours before the event. 

“That’s the clearest example of direct exclusion I’ve seen. It was a crying shame that groups wanting to support public health efforts were shut out simply due to perceived conflicts of interest,” he concluded. “We need transparency, collaboration, and a realistic approach to tackling gambling harm. Instead, we’re seeing division, exclusion, and a reluctance to tap into expertise that has been built over years.”