A FORMER Council leader has called for more to be done locally to help support those who have developed serious gambling addictions.

Councillor Dave Green (Lab, Wibsey) proposed a motion at the last meeting of Bradford Council, calling for the authority to do all it can to help those for whom gambling has gone beyond a fun pastime.

He said some gamblers had ended up taking their own lives after their addiction became too much to bear.

The motion, discussed at the last full Council meeting in St George's Hall, called for the Council to both lobby national Government to do more to tackle the issue and to take measures locally, such as working with community groups to support at risk individuals, provide better education of the possible harms of gambling and trat gambling addiction as a public health issue.

Cllr Green said: "At a meeting this size there is likely to be one person with a gambling problem. There will be many of our constituents with a gambling problem.

"It is not something we will necessarily know about until it's too late. That goes for all communities across the district.

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It is a hidden problem until it is too late. If someone had a drink or drug problem, people would spot it. Gambling is often done behind closed doors, friends and families do not always know about it. No one realises a person has a problem until someone comes to reposes their house. No one will know until it gets so bad that a person takes their own life.

"Hundreds of people every year kill themselves because of a gambling problem.

"We educate people about the dangers of alcohol abuse and the importance of sexual health, but we don't give the same education to people about the dangers that can arise through gambling."

He pointed out that the Council's Corporate Scrutiny Committee had held numerous sessions looking at the issue, from speaking to charities that offer support to people with an addiction, to gambling companies to families of people who have lost their lives to their addiction.

He told members he "enjoys a punt", but that for many gambling had moved beyond a fun pastime.

Online gambling had made the issue even more difficult to tackle, the former Council Leader argued.

He said the Council could look into ways to make it easier for people to "self exclude" from betting premises, and get tougher on any businesses that breach their planning or licensing conditions.

Acknowledging that the Government is due to publish a review into gambling this year, Cllr Green added: "We've been waiting for that review since 2018."

He expressed fears that the review would be "watered down" by the time it is eventually published.

Councillor Geoff Winnard (Cons, Bingley) acknowledged that a minority of people who gamble did have a problem, but added: "In a fair society we must accept adults have the right to decide what they spend their money on.

"I'm worried when politicians try to restrict activities enjoyed by normal people. I say let's wait until the conclusion of the Government review."

Councillor Alun Griffiths (Lib Dem, Idle and Thackley) said his party would support Cllr Green's motion, adding: "To say we have to wait for the Government to hopefully do something in the future is nonsense. We have a responsibility to the people in our district."

Cllr Green replied to the Conservative comments saying: "It is only a minority who have a gambling problem, but it is a minority of drinkers who have an alcohol problem, and we legislate against pubs who serve people who are already drunk. We have to do what we can now."

Members voted to support Cllr Green's motion.

This week it was announced that the Government white paper on gambling, originally due to be published last year, will now not be published until May.