OVER the last 15 years the gambling industry has changed beyond recognition. Since the passing of the 2005 Gambling Act the sector has grown at an alarming pace.

The most recent figure on gross gambling yield — the amount kept by gambling operators after payment of winnings but before deduction of operating costs — stands at over £14 billion. That is a 60 per cent increase since 2010.

There’s never been a better time for gambling companies and there is no doubt that the Euro 2020 football tournament will generate big business. The extent to which gambling has become part of football was highlighted in former Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson’s recent documentary Football’s Gambling Addiction — where she noted that gambling logos can appear more than 700 times in a single football match.

This boom has a dark side: the massive rise in problem gambling. And it’s this dark side that trade unions are now setting out to address.

One of the key elements driving growth in gambling has been technology. Access to gambling has never been easier. In recent years we’ve seen an explosive growth in online gambling.

Your mobile phone is now a bookmaker, a bingo hall and casino in your pocket. You can now bet on literally anything, match results, number of corners, number of cards, first scorer, last scorer, the list is endless and all this at any time of the day and at any place your device can access the internet. You can’t watch TV or scroll through social media without being bombarded by advertising from gambling operators.

But while this means that it’s never been easier to gamble, it also means that it’s never been more difficult to get away from gambling.

The impacts of gambling’s harm on individuals and their loved ones can be severe — with an estimated one gambling-related suicide every day in Britain. It can also lead to unemployment, huge debts and family break ups.

The damage is caused not just by the addictiveness of some gambling products, but also the stigma that surrounds gambling addictions — which stops those that need support from reaching out for help.

Recent Yougov data shows that problem gambling affects nearly 3 per cent of the population. That’s 1.4 million people. And, of course, millions more are negatively impacted by someone else’s gambling.

Unsurprisingly gambling can have a significant impact on people’s lives at work. The National Opinion Research Centre found that 61 per cent of problem gamblers reported missing work to gamble, 59 per cent reported difficulty concentrating at work due to preoccupation with gambling and debts and 36 per cent reported losing their jobs due to gambling.

This is where unions come in. Much in the same way that unions have been key in reducing the stigma around mental health in the workplace, we are now looking to play a similar role in relation to problem gambling.

Trade unions, working with enlightened employers, can play an important part in tackling problem gambling in the workplace and supporting members along that road to recovery.

The Wales TUC’s new problem gambling toolkit has been designed to help union reps be a more informed ear on the subject and to give them the confidence to support their members effectively. The aim is to allow the gambler the space they need to reach out and get the support when they need it without fear of judgement.

We can’t, however, educate our way out of this problem. Whilst reducing stigma and better understanding the issues around problem gambling will help many, without government reform many more will be impacted. A new Gambling Act is urgently needed. We can no longer rely on analogue laws in a digital age.

Gareth Hathway is a Wales TUC union learning support officer.

The National Gambling Helpline gives confidential information, advice and support for anyone affected by gambling problems in England, Scotland and Wales on 0808 8020 133.