Child gambling is a form of self-harm – it’s too complex for a quick-fix clinic | Anouchka Grose

Simple therapies such as CBT can be only partly effective. We need to rein in an industry that unscrupulously targets vulnerable young people

Almost half a million children in England and Wales are gambling regularly, with about 55,000 estimated to have a serious problem. Suicide rates for gambling addicts are high, and gambling-related problems cause stress for individuals and families. In response, the NHS has opened its first children's gambling clinic, offering face-to-face treatment - mostly cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

Out-of-control gambling is linked to complex individual and social problems - including stress, anxiety and other mental health issues such as bipolar disorder. CBT attempts to tackle the behaviour by dismantling some of the common beliefs and attitudes around it. Gamblers may be encouraged to set themselves realistic limits, fulfil their financial obligations before spending on betting, and to think of gambling as a form of entertainment as opposed to a means of making money.

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