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Gambling Harm and Homelessness

Gambling Harm and Homelessness

Gambling Harm and Homelessness

Monday, July 22, 2024

Cyrenians facilitate the Scottish Frontline Network. The Scottish Frontline Network facilitates events and networking opportunities for frontline workers in Scotland who support people at risk of or experiencing homelessness. Frontline staff are able to come together to network, share experiences, expertise and amplify their voices to decision makers.

The Network hosted a learning event earlier this year on Gambling Harm and Homelessness.

The aims of the event were:

  • To raise awareness of the links between homelessness and gambling harm and discuss upcoming changes to policy
  • To equip participants with knowledge and resources to identify risk of gambling and where to refer someone for support
  • To learn from frontline workers what they’re seeing on the ground, what is needed to support the communities they work with when it comes to gambling harm

Speakers included Maria Welsh (RCA Trust), Lauren Heaney (Simon Community Scotland), Courtney Amesbury-Cooke (Cyrenians) and Georgina Charlton (The ALLIANCE). 26 people attended, including speakers and facilitators, with a mix of attendees working in local authorities and the third sector.

The event included a series of talks covering what gambling harm entails, and how to spot it, especially when it overlaps with experiences of homelessness, and an introduction to work being done and resources available to provide support to those who are at risk of gambling harm.

Through discussions, participants were able to identify groups that were particularly at risk and discuss how they and their organisation were providing appropriate support.

Participants learned about the 1% mandatory levy on profits and had a chance to discuss how they thought this should be spent and allocated to reach the communities they support.

They were also asked to offer their thoughts on what a dedicated gambling harm strategy in Scotland should include.

Participants fed back that the event was “Very informative and thought provoking” and that “All of the presentations were very helpful in hearing about work being undertaken on this issue”

To find more more, please take a look at the slides.

Please sign up here if you would like to be kept up to date with our work and invited to our events. You can also get in touch with the Network via ScottishFrontlineNetwork@cyrenians.scot. 

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