I propose to take Questions Nos. 153 and 154 together.
This year, the Dept of Health allocated €0.5m to the HSE to introduce a pilot treatment programme for gambling addiction. This will include information and resources on problem gambling and gaming, including prevention, treatment and support services. In Budget 2024, I secured an additional €0.5m to expand harm-reduction services for adults and children experiencing difficulties with gambling and gaming. A factsheet on Budget 2024 is attached.
This initiative is aligned with the Government’s commitment to establishing a gambling regulator focused on public safety and well-being. Minister of State, James Browne, T.D., has been leading the progression the Gambling Regulation Bill, 2022 to establish the regulator, and the appointment of a CEO designate is an important development. The Bill will establish a social fund through a levy on the gambling industry to finance research and information, to support public education and awareness raising measures in relation to problem gambling and to appropriately support problem gambling treatment. I believe that the allocation of dedicated funding for gambling addiction is an important element in a coordinated public health response to the harms associated with gambling.
Budget 2024