Most of our patients are young, and the desperation of families trying to address the disruption to their child’s life is extreme
- More than 850 people referred to clinic for video game addicts
- How video games use tricks from gambling to attract big spenders
The National Centre for Gaming Disorders, the first NHS clinic designated to treat gaming disorder, saw its first patient in early 2020 but I had been aware of the need for this type of treatment for several years prior to its opening.
The clinic was part of the much-lauded 2019 NHS long-term plan, which has only recently further expanded its network of gambling treatment clinics to a total of 15, reaching its planned national coverage a year ahead of plan.
