THE Health Minister has pointed Islanders struggling with gambling addiction towards existing mental-health services after the Island’s gambling watchdog criticised the lack of progress in providing dedicated support.
Senator Tom Binet said work was under way to raise awareness of where people could seek help, but did not announce any new gambling-specific services in response to concerns raised by the Jersey Gambling Commission.
The Commission’s 2025 annual report raised concerns about the limited support available locally.
Chief executive Dr Jason Lane said conversations with Health remained “positive and engaging, but decidedly light on output”, while outgoing chairman Cyril Whelan said a more co-ordinated approach with Public Health over the past decade “could have delivered more”.
Dr Lane added that a small number of private counsellors had expressed an interest in providing support but argued this would “never be better than delivery through the health service and the continuity of care that it provides”.
Responding to the report, Senator Binet said: “I welcome the Commission’s unequivocal statement that their more important duty is to protect people from the harm associated with uncontrolled, excessive gambling.”
He said work was “already underway to raise awareness of how and where people can access mental health services and support”.
Jersey’s 2024 Adult Population Survey found around two-thirds of adults had gambled during the previous 12 months. Senator Binet stressed that the “vast majority” were not at risk of problem gambling, but acknowledged that a small proportion were.
“Understanding participation in gambling is important to ensuring that the mental health and support services that are already in place continue to develop in line with our community’s requirements,” he added.
The Commission recorded nine direct interactions concerning problem gambling involving six people last year and said an estimated three or four Islanders annually arrive at its offices at “a crisis point in their lives”.
Senator Binet directed Islanders needing help to Jersey’s existing mental-health directory on gov.je/mentalhealthdirectory and the national gambling helpline on 0808 8020133.
