5 years ago, UK government advisors predicted that gambling addiction would soon hit an all-time high and treatment would not keep up. Now, with news that the 6,000,000 mark has been surpassed, it seems they have been proved right.

Recent governments have failed their people in refusing to address industries in which addiction is rife thanks to their need for tax. We see it in the supermarkets, where alcohol is offered at cheaper prices than water thanks to government lobbying on the part of the CBI. Come the annual budget changes too, never do the government raise the tax on cigarettes enough to price out some buyers and cut NHS spending, and yet they continue to raise tax on property and threaten us with a tax on the one thing we need to survive - water.

The latest pathetic attempt on the part of the government to make the online gambling industry less perilous and more enjoyable for those with less experience has been called a "distraction" from the real issue, that of the latest figures suggesting that 10% of the UK population may have a gambling problem. It was a rare victory that the government won over an irresponsible ad campaign in the online industry, which is much harder to regulate than real casinos. Prime Scratchcards offered their games as a means to achieving financial stability if you claim benefits, and you can read the promotion here.