According to gambling therapy charity Gordon Moody Association, women gamblers and women affected by gambling are in urgent need of more extensive treatment and support.

The new centre will offer such support in a safe environment, where 24 women will be treated on an annual basis.

The centre has received core funding through support from mobile casino company InTouch Games Limited.

“Gambling is the hidden addiction and hidden further again within that is the story of women gamblers and women who are affected by others,” said Gordon Moody CEO Matthew Hickey.

“There is an absolutely urgent need to change this and the impact of COVID-19 means this is a growing crisis that needs to be tackled with more expertise and resources.”

In 2019, Gordon Moody recorded an increase of more than 100,000 women using the company’s Gambling Therapy website.

Last year also saw GambleAware, GamCare and Gambling Therapy report 30% of helpline calls from women, with 59% seeking help for another and 41% seeking help for themselves.

“Gordon Moody Association has been addressing this challenge for a number of years through its retreat and counselling programme, and we now have plans to expand our treatment capacity within the next year to help urgently deal with this growing challenge,” added Hickey.

“But we feel this is just the beginning of what needs to be done and we will be arguing for much more capacity to be built and expert therapists to be trained in the future.”