The report also included the findings from new research with sentencers, which demonstrates that crimes related to gambling are not being dealt with in an appropriate way (although problem gambling is recognised as a mental health disorder).

The Commission is the UK’s first inquiry to focus precisely on the connections between problem gambling and crime.

In the study, commissioners heard evidence from a wide range of witnesses including regulators, gambling companies, police, prison and probation workers, academics, and personal testimony from people whose lives have been affected by crime linked to problem gambling.

The briefing included a list of improvements that can be made, such as training and raising awareness among practitioners, assessing individuals in the criminal justice system for problem gambling behaviours linked to their offerings, identifying the availability of specialised services locally and guiding people to those services.

The Commission concluded with the recommendation that the Sentencing Council should consider what improvements can be made to sentencing guidelines, to ensure the courts properly deal with problem gambling.