Research and policy
Gambling strain on cash and relationships for young gamers
Survey reveals impact of high-cost video game purchases A survey by Young Scot and Fast Forward has revealed the financial toll of in-game purchases with nearly a quarter of young gamers admitting to gambling while playing video games. The survey, which assessed gaming habits over the past year, found that 91% of the 406 respondents…
Read MoreMeet our newest trustee – Gillian McNeil
Please join us in welcoming our newest board member, Gillian McNeil who joined us in August last year. Gillian has a degree in English and History, as well as post graduate degree in Primary Education, and a master degree in Educational Leadership which includes Scotland’s Qualification for Headship (she is also toying with the idea…
Read MoreNew podcast alert! Steph Shilton’s story
Our next podcast has just dropped and we were incredibly fortunate to have had the lovely Steph Shilton come speak to us. Steph is married to Peter Shilton, the most capped English footballer of all time, and spoke to her experiences as an affected other of her husband’s gambling. Hear a story of love and…
Read More2023 Scottish Gambling Education Conference report now available
We are delighted to share the report from the 2023 Scottish Gambling Education Conference. This year’s theme was ‘Engaging Community Voices.’ We hosted the event at the Scottish Storytelling Centre on Thurs 16 November 2023. We would like to extend sincere thanks to all of you who contributed to making the day such a success…
Read MoreDetails from the Scottish Gambling Education Network meeting on 31 Aug
Our third network webinar of 2023 was on 31 August, and focused on ‘Gambling and Crime.’ Tickets for the event sold out, and discussion among speakers and attendees was engaged and thought-provoking. Speakers shared their lived experiences of gambling leading to crime, lack of support in the criminal justice system, and going on to support others.…
Read MoreNew survey for young people in Scotland – Share your views on gambling, gaming, and cryptocurrency
Are you aged 11-25 and living in Scotland? If so, we want to hear what you think about gambling, cryptocurrency, and the connections between gambling and gaming like loot boxes. We also want to know what you think should be done to support young people and prevent harm from gambling and related technologies. We’ve teamed…
Read MoreInclusive practice: Introducing our partnership with LGBT Youth Scotland
In this post, Allie (CEO) and Christina (Project Development Officer) describe our partnership with LGBT Youth Scotland (LGBTYS) and our work towards earning the LGBTYS charter mark. At Fast Forward we are passionate about making the work we do inclusive. That’s why we are partnering with LGBT Youth Scotland to ensure we are as welcoming…
Read MoreDetails from the Scottish Gambling Education Network meeting on 25 May
Our second network webinar of 2023 was on 25 May, and focused on ‘Gambling and Mental Health.’ Speakers highlighted research around the impact of gambling on mental health on both people experiencing harm from their own gambling and those close to them. Speakers also shared the lived experience of difficulties accessing mental health support services…
Read MoreNew report: Scottish students’ views on gambling, gaming, and cryptocurrency
We are excited to share new research on Scottish students’ views on gambling, gaming, and cryptocurrency. The research was conducted in partnership by Fast Forward, Tackling Gambling Stigma, and RCA Trust and funded by GambleAware. The findings highlight the impact gambling has on students in Scotland – both their own gambling, and that of those…
Read MoreFast Forward’s response to the UK government’s white paper on gambling
Fast Forward welcomes the UK government’s recent white paper on gambling reform. It is a positive step in the process of updating existing laws which are now well overdue. We’ve taken some time to digest the white paper, and are happy to see that a statutory levy has been included. This has the potential to…
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