New report highlights gambling harm in York and calls for urgent action
City of York Council identifies gambling as a major public health issue
A newly released report by City of York Council has unveiled the extensive "hidden harms" of gambling affecting thousands of residents in the city.
The Director of Public Health Annual Report 2025/26, titled You Bet, They Win: Gambling Harm in York, outlines how changes in the gambling market, particularly the growth of online gambling, have broadened access, resulting in widespread impacts on families, communities, and public services.
Key findings demonstrate that during a typical Premier League game, viewers encounter an average of 12.6 gambling messages per minute.
Over 3,000 children in York live with someone affected by harmful gambling, with 1 in 12 residents harmed by someone else’s gambling.
Additional links indicate gambling harm's extensive reach, correlating with financial crises, suicide, relationship breakdowns, homelessness, and early death.
Peter Roderick, York's Director of Public Health, emphasised the need to protect communities from these preventable harms through a public health approach: “By tackling aggressive marketing, putting an end to industry involvement in how gambling is regulated, and improving support for those affected, we can reduce this suffering.”
The report highlights online gambling growth, targeted advertising, and addictive product design as significant harm drivers, with an emphasis on deprivation-related inequalities and increased gambling venues in certain areas.
Cllr Lucy Steels-Walshaw, Executive Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care, announced collaborative efforts to raise awareness and access to support, committed to making meaningful changes for residents.
The publication accompanies City of York Council's pledge to join the Coalition to End Gambling Ads (CEGA), alongside other local authorities, football teams, and organisations.
The report proposes 10 recommendations, including establishing a city-wide gambling harms network, increasing frontline staff training, improving early identification, expanding recovery support, and backing national efforts against gambling advertising.
Concluding with a call for robust national regulation, the report emphasises the need for sustained prevention and treatment investment.