NICE Issues New Guidelines for Gambling Harm in Healthcare
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence now urges healthcare professionals to routinely screen for gambling issues, alongside other health risks, as part of new guidelines.

Integrating Gambling Checks into Health Assessments
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has released new guidelines.
Specifically, these guidelines recommend healthcare professionals ask about gambling habits during routine health assessments.
Indeed, this is the first time NICE has issued specific guidance on identifying and managing gambling-related harm.
Therefore, healthcare providers should now discuss gambling with patients. They should do this alongside other health concerns, such as smoking and alcohol use, during standard appointments.
Targeted Screening and Treatment Approaches
Moreover, the guidelines emphasize screening patients with conditions like depression, anxiety, self-harm, or substance dependence.
These individuals, in particular, face a higher risk of gambling-related harm.
Additionally, healthcare professionals should involve family members in treatment plans when appropriate. Furthermore, gambling treatment services should be separate from substance abuse facilities.
Consequently, this ensures specialized care for those affected by gambling addiction.
Expansion of Treatment Services and Funding
This initiative, in fact, coincides with a significant expansion of NHS gambling treatment infrastructure.
There are now 15 specialist clinics operating across the country. Furthermore, the government’s planned levy on gambling operators should generate £100m ($124m) annually.
This will support these treatment services. As a result, this funding boost will help address the growing need for specialized care.
Surge in Gambling Addiction Referrals
The release of these guidelines follows recent NHS data. This data, notably, reveals a 130% year-over-year increase in gambling addiction referrals.
Approximately 2,000 individuals sought help between April and September 2024. This highlights, therefore, the urgent need for increased awareness and intervention.
The new guidelines aim to address this growing issue. They do this by integrating gambling checks into routine healthcare.