Safer Gambling Week launched by UK gambling industry

As the UK’s gambling advertisement and the national gambling industry face an uncertain future, many players in the sector have teamed up with gambling support charities and other stakeholders for this year’s Safer Gambling Week.  

This year’s tagline is Let’s Talk About Safer Gambling. 

The nationwide initiative as launched yesterday, November 19, and will run until November 25. This year marks the initiative’s fourth running year but this year is the first time it was rebranded to Safer Gambling Week from Responsible Gambling Week.  

The goal of this industry-led campaign is to kickstart wider discussions and conversations about the importance of safe and responsible gambling and betting.  It also wants to engage gambling stakeholders such as customers, gambling staff and the wider public about gambling in a safe and responsible manner.   On top of this, operating stakeholders such as betting shops, casino, online operators, and the like are also joining in to promote the many tools available to consumers such as self-help options, setting limits on spend and time played, and safer gambling reminders and messages. 

The Betting and Gaming Board, the Bingo Association, the British Amusement Catering Trade Association (Bacta), and the Irish Bookmakers Association and their members lead the Safer Gambling Week. The movement has gained support from around the industry, including UK arcades, bingo clubs, betting shops, casinos, and online gaming operations, making it a truly pan-industry initiative.

Responsible gaming charities such as the National Gambling Helpline, GamCare, and YGAM are also supporting the week and are already promoting it.  The gaming charities are encouraging gamblers to reach out for any information about safer gambling and have prepared their staff for an increased number of enquiries.  UK online casino operators also have banner ads put in place to encourage gamblers to reach out.  

Commenting on this launch, Micheal Dugher, the chief executive of the BGC has said that Safer Gambling Week is incredibly important, but safer gambling should not be seen by anyone as simply something that the industry supports for one week of the year but rather, it is a commitment for every week of the year.  He went on to say that some 30 million people in Britain enjoy a bet every year and the vast majority do so perfectly safely; however, one problem gambler is one too many, which is why the BGC delighted to support Safer Gambling Week.

Dugher further went on to highlight that since being set up a year ago, the BGC has been at the forefront of efforts to drive up standards within the UK’s gambling industry.  He pointed out that the BGC has already made huge strides in its first year and these include tv and radio ad safer gambling requirements, the introduction of cool-off periods on machines, the introductions of new ID and age verification checks, and massively increasing funding for research, education and treatment.

In light of this, Dugher made it clear that the BGC is eager to work with the Government on the Gambling Review to introduce changes that will continually ensure consumer safety