Written evidence submitted by Barry Cash

Evidence for Gambling regulation Inquiry

I would like to draw attention to what I believe is a loophole in the Gambling regulations that needs addressing. A member of my family became mentally ill. So seriously that they were sectioned; that is detained in a secure hospital for their protection or that of the public.

They had about £20,000 of savings and proceeded to gamble this away online. The family found that there is no way of stopping this other than persuading the individual to close their online accounts. Neither the consultant in charge of their care nor the next of kin can do anything to stop them gambling.

The result is that when they recover and are released and they start to try and rebuild their life, their money is all gone. I hope that you will give serious consideration to how best to protect vulnerable patients such as this.

Please note that the procedure needs to be prompt. You can gamble way your life savings in a very few hours. It is also not sufficient just to close existing accounts. The gambling companies need to be prevented from bombarding them with “free” offers inviting them to open a new account.