The NHS Specialist Gambling Harms Service in the East Midlands has exceeded referral targets for 2024/25.

The East Midlands Gambling Harms Service was set up in 2023 as part the NHS Long Term Plan, it serves the East Midlands and is run by Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

In England, there are almost 1.6 million adults who gamble who may benefit from some type of treatment or support for harmful gambling, according to The Health Survey for England.

In the East Midlands over 165,000 people might benefit from gambling treatment and support, according to the Gambling Treatment Needs Assessment for England 2024.

In 2024 the service was expected to receive referrals for 320 – 450 people but over 550 people were referred, or referred themselves.

Service user John Wade from Leicester started attending group and one-to-one sessions with psychologists to help with his gambling addiction.

John said: “I was always buried in my phone. I’d bet 24 hours a day on anything; tennis matches where I didn’t know the players. I don’t even like tennis!”

“I told so many lies to get money. I’d tell friends my wages hadn’t gone in so that I could borrow £500 from them, which I’d spend on gambling. Then I’d have a win and make up another excuse that it had suddenly dropped into my bank account when I gave it back.”

“The service was my fresh start, and it helped me to understand why I gambled. Each session was a pleasure, and I was so excited to be getting help to stop.”

Giles Tinsley, Programme Director for Mental Health at NHS England in the Midlands, said: “Gambling addiction is a cruel mental health condition that can devastate people’s lives.

“Our services in the Midlands provides confidential, non-judgemental access to highly skilled clinicians who can help those affected by problematic gambling.”

The East Midlands Gambling Harms Service is accepting referrals and individuals who are concerned about their gambling can refer themselves or ask a health professional to make a referral for them.

If your gambling is causing problems for you or your loved ones and you’d like to stop, further support and treatment is available.