Welsh health boards trained to address gaming and gambling harms
Staff across Health Boards in Wales have completed specialist training designed to help them identify gaming and gambling harms in children and young people and provide the right support.
Research shows the rate of number of adults experiencing gambling harms is higher in Wales compared to the average across Great Britain.
According to the Gambling Commission, 52% of young people aged 11 to 17 in the Great Britain have had some experience of gambling and 1 in 4 young people in Wales have gambled with their own money in the last 12 months. 27% have seen their family members that they live with gamble. Nearly 1% (0.98%) of all young people in Wales are experiencing gambling harms with an additional 0.49% classified as at risk.
Within the first six months of 2025, Ygam – the UK charity dedicated to preventing gaming and gambling harms among children and young people – delivered specialist training to 122 healthcare professionals across six Welsh Health Boards: Aneurin Bevan, Betsi Cadwaladr, Powys, Cwm Taf Morgannwg, Hywel Dda, and Swansea Bay. Ygam equipped school nurses, community nurses, mental health nurses, and GPs with the knowledge and confidence to recognise, screen for, and respond to gaming and gambling harms.
The UK Government confirmed its intention to introduce a new levy on the gambling industry to tackle gambling harm last year. It will see approximately £5m per year allocated to Wales for gambling treatment, prevention and research. Sarah Murphy MS, Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing last week appointed Public Health Wales as the Lead Prevention Coordinator for gambling harms and NHS Wales Performance and Improvement as the Lead Treatment Coordinator.
An independent evaluation of Ygam’s Health and Social Care programme provides strong evidence that it is highly effective, with participants reporting significant improvements in their ability to recognise signs of harm in children and young people, as well as increased confidence in signposting and offering appropriate support when concerns arise.
Those who completed the training reported significant increases in their knowledge of gaming and gambling harms (from 14.8% to 95.1%), their confidence in communicating with young people about gaming and gambling (from 20.4% to 91.9%), as well as their ability to signpost and support those who may be experiencing harm (from 15.5% to 92.8%).
Kerry Jones, a Youth Liaison Nurse from Hywel Dda who attended the training, said: “Before the Ygam training, I understood gaming harms from personal experience, but I didn’t have the confidence or structure to address them professionally. The training helped me recognise the importance of asking the right questions and gave me practical tools to engage young people in meaningful conversations.
“Since then, I’ve supported several young people through our Post-16 NEET programme, using what I learned to explore how gaming links to anxiety, anger, and emotional wellbeing. Without this training, I wouldn’t have approached the topic in such depth. It’s made a real difference to how I work – and to the young people I support too.”
Sandy Thompson, Programme Lead for Health and Social Care at Ygam, said: “With young people increasingly living their lives online, it’s essential that the professionals who support them understand the potential harms they may be facing. A significant number of young people are engaging with gaming and gambling, and we must be equipped to recognise the risks and respond effectively. That’s why it’s vital for gaming and gambling harm prevention to be embedded into everyday healthcare practice across the country.
“We’re pleased to support healthcare staff in Wales to receive training in this area, and we urge key decision-makers to implement routine screening for these harms at every contact point within the Welsh healthcare system to ensure young people are supported and safeguarded.”
Ygam was established in 2014 because of the lived experience of its founders.
After suffering for over 25 years with a gambling addiction, Alan Lockhart died by suicide in 2010 at the age of 40. His mother Anne, a former teacher, founded the charity with her husband Keith and Lee Willows. Together they were determined to use education as a tool to raise awareness and help safeguard future generations against gaming and gambling harms.
Ygam has over 40 employees working in all regions of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The team is made up of professionals who have previously worked as teachers, youth workers, academics, and psychologists as well as individuals who have lived experience of gambling harms.
If you’re worried about your own or someone else’s gambling, the National Gambling Support Network provides free help and support, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you have care or influence over a child or young person and want more information about gambling harms and how to prevent them, you can register for a free online workshop through Ygam.
For more information about Ygam visit www.ygam.org or email [email protected]
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