TWO weeks ago this column provided a guide to helping someone with an addiction to gambling. It is a silent and damaging disease, often not manifesting itself until someone has lost everything they own, and placing a burden on others. It is something we need to be more aware of, and legislators are becoming more conscious of the problems associated with gambling.

These and other pressures have possibly been responsible for the gambling industry coming together to launch their biggest ever campaign to promote safer gambling in Ireland and in Britain.