Labour MP Alex Ballinger has called for tougher action on gambling harms among serving personnel and veterans, warning that young men in the Armed Forces can be particularly vulnerable to gambling-related harm.
Ballinger, the MP for Halesowen, said:
"People in the Armed Forces, young men, often from deprived communities - they're exactly the demographic that gambling organisations target."
His intervention reflects his dual role as Chair of the Armed Forces APPG and Co-Chair of the APPG on Gambling Reform, placing him at the intersection of two issues he has been raising in Parliament.
Ballinger presses ministers on gambling harm in the military
Ballinger has already questioned the Ministry of Defence about gambling-related harm among serving personnel and veterans.
In December 2025, he asked ministers what assessment had been made of gambling harms within the Armed Forces and what discussions had taken place with the NHS about improving prevention and treatment. The MOD replied that it recognised gambling-related harm could have a significant impact on service personnel and said a new Defence Primary Healthcare Gambling pathway had been developed.
The department also said it was working with Swansea University and external support organisations to improve its understanding of the problem.
Parliament event highlighted Armed Forces gambling support
Ballinger has also sponsored parliamentary work specifically focused on gambling harm in the military community.
In June 2025, he hosted an event in Parliament with the Armed Forces Gambling Support Network, aimed at raising awareness of the need for specialist support for serving personnel and veterans experiencing gambling problems.
The network says its work is focused on reducing stigma and helping members of the Armed Forces community access appropriate specialist support.
Wider campaign against gambling advertising
Ballinger has also pushed for wider reform of gambling advertising.
In April this year, he opened a Westminster Hall debate on the issue, telling MPs there was growing concern about the scale and impact of gambling advertising, particularly on children and young people.
The debate followed work by the Gambling Reform APPG on the reach and consequences of gambling marketing.
Armed Forces and gambling reform agendas come together
Ballinger's latest comments bring together his work on defence and gambling policy.
The Armed Forces APPG, which he chairs, exists to improve parliamentary understanding of the military, while the Gambling Reform APPG aims to assess how the gambling industry should be reformed to prevent harm.
His argument is that gambling reform should take greater account of groups who may be especially exposed to harm - including serving personnel and veterans - and that prevention, treatment and advertising rules all need to be part of that conversation.
