Minimum target reached

GambleAware has revealed that UK gambling operators have hit the ￡10m ($12.34m) donations target for the first time in ten years. The UK charity published the details of voluntary contributions for the year 2019/2020 this week.

hit the ￡10m ($12.34m) donations target for the first time in ten years

The total figure raised by operators in voluntary donations was ￡10.05m ($12.40m). This sum will be spent on funding the charity’s public health effort against gambling harms. GambleAware also received almost ￡4m ($4.94m) in funding from its BetRegret safer gambling campaign and earned another ￡1.5m ($1.85m) in regulatory fines.

Funding gambling harm prevention

GambleAware currently looks after ￡40m ($49m) in grant funding and is partnered with many gambling treatment providers across Great Britain to help vulnerable players. The charity will now continue to fund the National Gambling Treatment Service, which works in partnership with organizations such as the NHS and Citizens Advice.

CEO Marc Etches said: “Our mission is to keep people safe from gambling harm and these donations are vital to making sure we are able to deliver on that mission. Gambling is a serious public health issue in Great Britain, with two million adults experiencing some level of gambling harm.”

Boosting charity contributions

Although GambleAware reported that donations had been increasing year-on-year, the voluntary scheme had yet to meet its target of receiving 0.1% of each UK operator’s gross gaming yield. To meet its forecasted commitments, the charity needed a minimum of ￡10m ($12.34m) by March 31, 2020.

more than ￡100m ($123m) in funding towards gambling harm prevention

The charity fell short of the required amount at ￡9.4m ($11.60m) in 2019. However, in June of that year, big names such as William Hill, Ladbrokes Coral, Paddy Power Betfair, Skybet, and bet365 all agreed to boost their voluntary levy from 0.1% to 1% by 2023. This would equate to more than ￡100m ($123m) in funding towards gambling harm prevention – ten times the current level.

A compulsory change in charity funding for operators came into effect in January. The new requirement as per the UK Gambling Commission’s Social Responsibility code provision asks registered operators to direct their annual financial contribution for gambling research and treatment to at least one approved organization, of which GambleAware is one.