National Gambling Treatment Service (NGTS) Annual Statistics for 2020/21,  saw most (92%) people who completed their scheduled treatment improve their condition through a reduction to their Problem Gambling Severity Index score.

The annual report shows that seven in ten (70%) clients were no longer defined as ‘problem gamblers’ by the end of treatment; an increase in clients completing treatment was also recorded, climbing to 74% up from 59% in 2016, whilst the proportion of drop-outs decreased from 35% to 20%.

The report reveals the impact of COVID-19, in that 518 fewer people received treatment in 2020/21 than the previous year. The report also shows that the proportion of clients seeking treatment through the NGTS who participate in online gambling increased, climbing from 57% in 2015/16 to 79% in 2020/21.

GambleAware is encouraged by the high success rates of treatment in 2020/21 despite an unprecedented year caused by the pandemic but is concerned by the low percentage of people receiving treatment for gambling harms through the Service. The charity’s recently launched five-year organisational strategy has been designed to help improve access to and awareness of the NGTS, with the aim of ensuring more people receive effective treatment.