Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what cross-departmental work they are undertaking to address gambling-related suicide.

The Government is committed to strengthening protections to ensure that people can continue to enjoy gambling without the risks that can ensue from harmful gambling. The Suicide Prevention Strategy for England 2023-2028, published September 2023, sets out a commitment to address common risk factors linked to suicide, including gambling, by providing early intervention and tailored support. The Department of Health and Social Care is continuing to work across Government to progress this.

Along with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, we are committed to reviewing the best available evidence from a wide range of sources and working with all stakeholders in order to support the industry and ensure there are robust protections in place to protect those at risk.

In addition, the Gambling Commission has strengthened the requirement on gambling operators to inform the commission about deaths by suicide among customers. The licensee must notify the commission, as soon as reasonably practicable, if it knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that a person who has gambled with it has died by suicide, whether or not such suicide is known or suspected to be associated with gambling.