GamCare continues to expand treatment and recovery resources for those serving time in the Criminal Justice System, forming a new partnership with Interventions Alliance. 

Part of the Seetec Group, Interventions Alliance develops cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) intervention programmes for individuals recovering from all forms of addiction.

GamCare views CBT as an essential treatment for gambling addiction recovery that needs to be extended within the Criminal Justice System to reduce reoffending related to gambling harms.

Working with Interventions Alliance, GamCare has developed a new CBT programme that will provide inmates with eight sessions of structured CBT in a group format.

The CBT sessions will allow participants to explore and analyse their experiences of harmful gambling and its subsequent impact on themselves and loved ones and its connections with crime.

Suki Binning, Chief Social Worker and Executive Director, Interventions Alliance, said: “We are delighted to announce this partnership with GamCare as we believe there is vital work to be done to support those in the Criminal Justice System who have a gambling addiction.

“Research on gambling addictions show that those with a gambling addiction are more likely to commit crimes, so this intervention is one part of the solution.”

The new CBT programme will complement the work and pilots that GamCare has previously provided for the Criminal Justice System.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, GamCare led calls for addiction support and treatment to be expanded to the Criminal Justice System (CJS), under UK health charities Nationwide Programme’ – which saw GamCare named as the charitable organisation of the year by the Howard League 

Continuing its mandate, GamCare sites 2017 research found a higher prevalence of gambling harms in prison populations compared to the national population.

Anna Hemmings, CEO at GamCare, added: “We are excited to work with Interventions Alliance on this new partnership. It provides a valuable opportunity to build on the work we already do, combining our gambling support with their criminal justice and offending behaviour expertise.”

“We hope this new programme will help tackle the stigma and ultimately reduce gambling-related harm in the Criminal Justice System and, by extension, the community.”