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The recent passing of the Gambling Act in London has caused renewed debate over the effect of gambling in the U.K. Three out of four Britons gamble every week. Nearly nine and half billion pounds every year goes down the drain, nearly double what it was four years ago. These trends, according to reformed addict Jake Brindell, are indicative of the governments plan to allow easier opportunities to gamble and will have the unfortunate effect of creating many more addicts.

The government raised almost 2 billion pounds in taxes last year from the gambling industry, flagged by the growing Internet sector, which is itself creating a new generation of addicts who dont have the social safety nets caused by going to racetracks or casinos with friends and therefore have a tougher time to realize when theyre compounding their losses. Compounding the social ties, the UK is the only country in the First World that allows children to participate in gambling. Studies have shown that children gamblers are three times more likely to become addicted. For Brindell, it was slots at age ten that caught him. He continued to be addicted for over 25 years, spending hundreds of thousands and falling farther and farther into depression.

Like many other addicts, Brindell found it tough to find help for his problem. The Gambling Act does not really address this problem, setting non-compulsory targets of around 3 million pounds for reformation and addiction treatment. Compare this to nations like Australia, which forces the gambling industry to set aside one percent of its revenue for counseling and treatment.

Mark Griffiths, a government advisor and Britains only professor on gambling sees the Gambling Act fails in social responsibility. The act makes it easier to set up betting shops, which are primarily located in the nations poorest areas and inner-cities. This is good for the industry, with its sky-high profits, but bad for the localities. One resident conducted his own survey, finding that only one out of 400 residents were in favor of opening up a new betting shop. Those are odds the industry apparently is content with, and unfortunately for Britain, so is the government.