Christian charity CARE has responded with concern to the news that Britain still has a quarter of a million problem gamblers, and called for an immediate ban on gambling advertising.

Commenting on the Gambling Commission's Prevalence Study published this week, Nola Leach, chief executive said, "It is disappointing to see that problem gambling has shown no sign of reduction over the past eight years.

"Problem gambling has a devastating effect on the lives not only of the gamblers themselves but also their families."

She added: "Although the 2005 Gambling Act (which came into force on September 1st) does introduce new forms of regulation, in many respects - for example advertising - it is likely to exacerbate rather than erode problem gambling."

Other Christian bodies have also responded to the study by urging the Government to ensure that measures are in place to protect the most vulnerable.

The Evangelical Alliance's Parliamentary Officer, Gareth Wallace, said, "This is no time for complacency. Problem gamblers are not mere statistics. Both the Gambling Commission and the Dept for Culture Media and Sport have said that these figures are nothing to be proud of.

"With no reduction in problem gambling since the GamCare report in 1999, the Government need to urgently provide more resources to assist those whose lives are being blighted by problem gambling."

Christians were encouraged that attitudes towards gambling in the general public remained more negative than positive, but added that a quarter of a million problem gamblers were still too many.

Anthea Cox, Coordinating Secretary for Public Life and Social Justice with the Methodist Church, said: "While we are relieved that the number of problem gamblers has not risen, there are still far too many."

She urged the Government to take steps towards safeguarding the most vulnerable in society from problem gambling: "The Government have always said that the Act provides greater safeguards for people who are vulnerable to problem gambling; it is now for them and the Gambling Commission to implement the Act so as to ensure that these predictions come true."

Dan Boucher, Director of Parliamentary Affairs at CARE, added, "One of the interesting points made by (the) report is that there is a clear public view that gambling is negative and should not be encouraged. "The new legislative framework which allows - subject to certain conditions - gambling advertising on television is entirely at variance with this opinion.

"One of the simplest and most helpful things that government could do to reduce the harmful effects of gambling would be to introduce an immediate ban on gambling advertising."

The Methodist Church said it hoped to see a drop in the number of problem gamblers by the time of the next study in 2009-10, while the Church of Scotland recommended that the Government use the next study as an opportunity to carry out a full review of gambling practice at that time.