Shettleston councillor Laura Doherty, fears that people suffering from a gambling addiction are not understood or treated in the same way as someone who is struggling with drugs or alcohol. 

It comes after the UK Government confirmed last month it would bring forward a statutory levy on gambling operators to generate £100 million for the research, prevention and treatment of gambling harms.

As it stands the current voluntary system means that not all gambling companies contribute equally, with some operators paying as little as £1 a year. The new mandatory levy will ensure all operators contribute a fair share.

Councillor Doherty said: “There is an awful lot more that needs to be done as far as raising awareness is concerned. 

“I think further research also needs to be done on gambling as there is so much that we don’t understand.

“Again with the levy, part of that is going to be allocated towards research. I would like to know how that is going to be divided up. Some of it will be carried out by the gambling commission – who are they going to contact to do their research for them.

“What universities are going to be carrying that out? Where are those universities? Where are they pulling that research from and what communities are they targeting?”

Glasgow City Council views gambling as not only a “scourge” on many different social groups including young men and increasingly, women and children, but also local communities where there is a proliferation of “environmental bads” which include fast food, tobacco, and gambling.

Councillor Doherty added: “How many communities are they [researchers] targeting across the UK and are those communities going to be equally balanced between England, Wales and Scotland. 

“There will be problems in Scotland that are different from England and Wales and vice versa. 

“Gambling companies will target the demographics they think are going to spend the money so they will target areas like Shettleston over Victoria Park.

“They all cluster together so you are more likely to see them in these areas.”