Views Sought Over Strategy To Reduce Gambling Harm

12 February 2026
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Andrew DawkinsWest Midlands


People in a city are being urged to share their experiences of gambling and what issues it can cause as a council wants to safeguard vulnerable citizens.


Two consultations have been started by City of Wolverhampton Council, one for adults and the other for children and young individuals.


Evidence suggested 1.2% of the city's population met the requirements to be referred to as problem bettors, more than double the nationwide average, a representative stated.


The experiences people share will go into decreasing the damage from the concern, they added.


Harms might consist of financial difficulty, relationship breakdown and psychological health problems, the representative stated.


From 2019-22, 70 Wolverhampton residents looked for assistance from the charity Aquarius, which supports people affected by betting.


But the council spokesperson stated they estimated 8,570 people could have gained from the group's assistance.


Signs that someone might have a problem with gambling consist of feelings of stress and anxiety or stress around their betting habit, wagering more than they can afford to lose, and betting ever bigger quantities of cash to feel the same "high" as in the past.


Councillor Obaida Ahmed said the authority wanted their strategy to be shaped by genuine experiences and "grounded in what our communities inform us they need".


"Your voice matters - whether you have actually been personally impacted, understand somebody who has, or simply desire to add to a more secure, much healthier city," she included, with a due date for remarks by 20 March.


Research from the annual national Young People and Gambling Survey 2025 showed a significant increase in betting participation among 11 to 17 years of age, with 30% reporting that they had spent their own cash on gambling in the previous year, up from 27% in 2024.


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