Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what provision is available to problem gamblers who are currently serving in Her Majesty's Armed Forces.

Gambling as an addiction has serious implications for Defence; as a security risk, financially, a mental health issue and as a wider welfare impact on Service personnel; families; veterans and their families. Gambling addiction is difficult to target and deal with effectively as most activity is carried out when Service personnel are off duty or at home. However, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is working to raise financial awareness among Service personnel; all three Services provide links on their welfare sites to several financial advisory sites including MoneyForce, Joining Forces Credit Union, the Services Insurance and Investment Advisory Panel and GamCare, a national charity and leading provider of information, advice and free counselling for the prevention and treatment of problem gambling.

The MOD has not funded or conducted any research on problem gambling among Service personnel or veterans. We are aware that in 2017 the Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT) supported a gambling study by Swansea University, the preliminary findings of which suggested UK veterans may be at an increased risk of developing gambling problems than non-veterans. In 2018, FiMT awarded Swansea University £279,503 to undertake a survey to understand and explore the levels of gambling participation and attitudes to gambling in ex-Service personnel.

The requested information on the numbers of betting terminals and gaming machines on MOD property and the revenue generated and beneficiaries is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.