If you haven't seen the Ronnie Scott and His World-Famous Jazz Club documentary (and even if you have seen it), you can watch it on BBC iPlayer for the next month. It never gets old. Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club Jazz FM

“You can only do what you can do”

Jesse Sone (and me!)

Sometimes the most ambitious and innovative strategy is to intentionally choose to do less.

That’s genuine bravery.

GamLEARN offers support to individuals who are facing/faced criminal convictions for gambling related crime.

We're here for you.

To find out how we can help, click on the link below ⤵️

gamlearn.org.uk/criminal-justi…

#gamblingharm #criminaljusticesystem #CJS

I gave evidence to the Scottish Parliament this week on suicide prevention and Scotland’s ambitious suicide prevention strategy 👇

“We have a duty to protect people from gambling harm”!

Just do it then.

Step 1: give Gambling Commission a duty to protect from gambling harm not to permit gambling.

Step 2: give operators a statutory duty of care to prevent harm, with named Director responsible and right of redress.

Incremental minor regulatory changes, constrained by fallacious need to balance harm with individual freedom, are no substitute for a proper statutory duty of care on operators to prevent harm.

That will ensure accountability, and focus hearts and minds. theguardian.com/society/2024/m…

Always worth considering what charities experts were they trustees of, etc.

And notwithstanding concerns, real or imaginary, trends in stats should be a good indicator or policy effectiveness.

We can’t accept industry hiding behind “it’s complex” or “difficult” for ever.

bmj.com/content/384/bm…

Rebecca Cassidy

At present the Gambling Commission & local authorities have a statutory duty to aim to permit a harmful industry. A new Gambling Act based on the prevention of harm is needed urgently to protect the public from the gambling industry's exploitative practices & products.

Gambling addiction together with homelessness must be a trigger for suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, and suicide.

Obvious, but potentially overlooked.

After a quick warm up on Fleet at lunch time! Really enjoyed it.

Introduced as “a Legend”. Good description.

But does that make you a Legend in your own lunchtime?

Wish I could be there tonight, especially if “I fall in love too easily” is on the set list.

Check out the work of Steve Sharman in Westminster a few years ago …..

Secondary measures of harm:
Trend and numbers of bank accounts spending:
- 10% of income on gambling merchant codes
- 25% of income on gambling merchant codes
- 50% of income on gambling merchant codes
- 75% of income on gambling merchant codes

Why aren’t we doing this now?

“We have a duty”? Wrong.

Operators have no duty.

Time for a statutory duty of care to prevent harm, + named Director responsible, + right of redress.

That would focus 110,000 minds on preventing harm.

That would save lives and prevent harm.

How many fewer:
- suicides?
- suicide attempts?
- suicidal thoughts?
- people severely harmed by gambling?
- people harmed by gambling?
- people affected by another’s gambling?

Not rocket science.

You need to measure harm to measure impact.

No fudges.
natcen.ac.uk/news/national-…

The basics;
- A gambling regulator with duty to prevent harm not permit gambling
- A gambling regulator with a duty to measure harm and report on it
- ban advertising
- a statutory duty of care on operators to prevent harm, with named Director responsible, and right of redress.

Apres APPG GRH

Jazz Defenders at Pizza Express Soho. 😊

Drummer Ian Matthews just as much at home in front of 200 here as in front of 20,000 with Kasabian!!

Great stuff.

Today APG officers Philip McGuigan and Paul Frew met Northern Ireland Assembly with Communities NI Minister Gordon Lyons MLA for update on implementation of 2022 Act provisions and preparations for second phase of gambling law reform in NI. A really positive engagement.

6. Don't use, link to, or refer people to charities with alcohol or gambling industry funding