As the cost-of-living crisis worsens, a charity said on Wednesday some British gamblers had utilized betting shops to stay warm and gambled their state benefits to pay their bills.
GamCare, which helps gamblers, found that they were more likely than the average population to struggle with food and heating.
After British authorities fined William Hill a record 19.2 million pounds ($23.7 million) for failing to safeguard consumers and curb money laundering, YouGov polled over 4,000 people.
“We are still seeing a fraction of individuals who are struck the hardest by the cost-of-living issue gravitating towards gaming to soothe their money problems,” said GamCare chief executive Anna Hemmings.
20% of gamblers have trouble buying groceries, compared to 11% of the population, according to YouGov.
16% went to public venues to avoid heating, compared to 5% of the population.
The government has tried to combat gambling addiction in recent years by regulating terminal stakes and outlawing credit card bets.
On Monday, the Gambling Commission reported additional William Hill failures. For example, one client dropped 14,900 pounds in 70 minutes and spent 23,000 pounds in 20 minutes without checks.
GamCare announced a new Money Advice Program to assist gamblers in reclaiming their finances.
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