THE authors of an official report into problem gambling have warned that the number of “casualties” will inevitably increase following the liberalisation of laws.

Under the new Gambling Act, which came into force yesterday, bookmakers, casinos and internet gambling firms will be allowed to advertise on television for the first time.

The legislation also paves the way for 16 new casinos - all bigger than existing establishments - although plans for a Las Vegas-style gambling mecca in Manchester appear to have been shelved by Gordon Brown.

Industry sources believe that a “prevalence study” of gambling, due to be published later this month, is likely to show that the number of UK problem gamblers - addicts and others who have experienced difficulties - has now passed 500,000. The last time such a survey was carried out was in 1999, when it was estimated that there were 275,000-370,000 problem gamblers.

Since then Britain has seen a boom in internet gambling. GamCare, an industry-funded counselling service, says it has experienced a 30% year-on-year increase in calls.

The new prevalence study is intended to act as a baseline to allow ministers to gauge the impact of the Gambling Act. However, Jim Orford and Mark Griffiths, the authors of the study, predicted this weekend that the legislation will trigger a rise in problem gambling.

“I’ve been consistently saying this is putting the nation at risk, that it’s bad for us, that it’s likely to lead to an increase in gambling and an increase in problem gambling,” said Orford, a professor of clinical and community psychology at Birmingham University.

Griffiths, professor of gambling studies at Nottingham Trent University, said: “What you tend to find is that where you increase participation in gambling, gambling problems tend to increase as well.”

However, Gerry Sutcliffe, the minister with responsibility for gambling, said the new act will “ensure gambling is conducted fairly, children and vulnerable people are protected and crime is kept out”.

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