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 secure vulnerable .


Two assessments have been started by City of Wolverhampton Council, one for grownups and the other for kids and youths.


Evidence recommended 1.2% of the city's population satisfied the requirements to be described as problem bettors, more than double the national average, a representative said.


The experiences individuals share will go into lowering the harm from the problem, they added.


Harms could include monetary challenge, relationship breakdown and psychological health issues, the spokesperson stated.


From 2019-22, 70 Wolverhampton homeowners looked for aid from the charity Aquarius, which supports individuals affected by gambling.


But the council representative said they estimated 8,570 people might have taken advantage of the group's assistance.


Signs that someone might have an issue with betting consist of feelings of anxiety or tension around their gambling habit, wagering more than they can afford to lose, and gambling ever bigger quantities of money to feel the same "high" as previously.


Councillor Obaida Ahmed stated the authority wanted their technique to be formed by genuine experiences and "grounded in what our neighborhoods inform us they require".


"Your voice matters - whether you have actually been personally affected, know someone who has, or merely wish to add to a much safer, healthier city," she included, with a due date for comments by 20 March.


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


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