Introducing: Jason Heffron

Too many people in Britain experience gambling-related harm. In recent years, positive steps have been taken to tackle this, but it’s evident that more still needs to be done. That’s why the Gambling Commission awarded funding for Money and Mental Health’s Gambling Harms Action Lab – and I’m happy to be a member of the team looking to partner with financial services firms and tackle this head on. 

Having worked in the safer gambling industry before, I’ve seen firsthand the amount of goodwill from people working to support those experiencing gambling-related harm. Existing treatment networks and support services exist to help people who’ve had negative experiences with gambling, despite the seemingly never-ending gambling advertising and new products throughout Britain. 

It’s never been easier to gamble. You don’t even need to leave your bed as you can gamble on your phone. The ease at which you can gamble proves a challenge for those unable to stop. However, in recent years, banks have begun to do more to support customers looking to stop gambling. 

Many firms now offer customers the option to block gambling transactions and – just as importantly – they enforce a ‘cooling-off period’. This period, typically lasting a few days, is activated when the gambling block is turned off, allowing someone time to consider their choices before using these products once again. Some banks are doing more to support their customers experiencing the greatest harm, but this support remains patchy. 

Despite this good work, the problem persists for many. Gambling is something that can be hidden from those around you. Financial services providers are one of the few touchpoints that can identify changes in people’s gambling behaviours over time. 

If we want to reduce the overall levels of gambling-related harm across Britain, we need to be willing to trial new ways of identifying harms at an earlier stage – before people suffer the unfortunate experience of losing life-changing amounts of money and the negative mental health impacts that stem from this. That’s why we’re working with financial services firms in the Gambling Harms Action Lab to create an environment where the industry can push itself further and share expertise and experiences to do more collectively. 

The input of our brilliant Research Community will be integral. People with lived experience of gambling-related harm are best placed to identify interventions and ideas that will work. That insight will help us reduce the number of people experiencing gambling-related harm moving forward. 

Together, through our collaboration and collective efforts, we can make a meaningful difference in reducing gambling-related harm. 

If you work for a financial services provider and are interested in getting involved in the Gambling Harms Action Lab, please email me. 

We’re also actively looking for more people with lived experience of gambling harms and mental health problems to support our research and work. If this is you, please consider getting involved by signing up using the link here.