Southampton councillor says gambling risks increasingly affecting young people
It's after Southampton City Council joined the Coalition to End Gambling Ads earlier this month
A Southampton councillor's telling us it's "very important" we tackle gambling as the risks are "increasingly impacting young people".
It comes after Southampton City Council became the latest local authority to join the Coalition to End Gambling Ads (CEGA) earlier this month.
Councillor Gordon Cooper for Bitterne Park says the council's most recent investigation found 32,000 people are affected by gambling harms in Southampton.
He said: "If you've got a gambler in the family, then the family is affected by gambling harms and it often leads to family breakdown, employment problems, youth alienation.
"The estimated cost to the city is about £8 million a year.
"So there's a health issue because it creates a health issue and it's a very highly addictive industry; but it also becomes a public health issue.
"The public realm picks up the cost in terms of broken families, people who are in need of housing, people who are in need of support in the health service in some form or another.
"Gambling is presented as a sort of harmless activity, but it's not.
"It's actually a very serious activity that causes serious problems."
Southampton City Council joined CEGA earlier this month, saying it's in the hopes to create a healthier and more equal city.
The coalition is made up of over 30 organisations who are trying to reduce gambling harm, and are calling on the UK Government to start to restrict gambling advertising.