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<p>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.</p><p> </p><p>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.</p><p> </p><p>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.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
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