GambleAware is a British non-profit organization that has been tackling gambling-related harms for years. For almost a decade, it has deployed numerous strategies aimed at limiting the damage caused by irresponsible gambling, with more or less satisfactory results. This public utility association deemed it necessary, some time ago, to draw the government’s attention to the imperative of financial risk controls, an additional action in its project to clean up the local betting industry. .
The imperative to make gambling operators more responsible
It’s an interesting time in the UK at the moment, as consumers and lawmakers are tackling the various issues plaguing the gambling industry head on. Amid a wave of proposed changes, from establishing stricter betting limits to imposing tougher penalties on violating operators, new data from GambleAware now shows that consumers are increasingly supportive of financial risk controls and in fact find them necessary.
Data collected by Ipsos, a polling agency, on behalf of the Gambling Harm Prevention and Action Commissioner, indicates that the public is supportive of ensuring that financial risk controls are effectively put in place. in place. About 57% of adults answered yes, and 76% of those who had a friend or family member who suffered gambling-related harm agreed with the question. Consumers are confident about two things; firstly, it would make gambling companies more accountable, as financial sanctions have so far fallen short. Second, it would add weight to efforts to reduce the number of people facing financial harm due to their direct involvement in the activity.
This evidence comes at an important time for the industry, as financial controls are indeed one of the contentious points in the upcoming re-regulation of the UK gaming industry. The data also follows a similar publication from the UK Gambling Commission, in which the regulator compared gambling behavior in terms of participation between 2022 and 2023.
The UK government should focus its efforts where necessary
Again, according to data shared by GamCare, some 50,000 people have contacted the National Gambling Support Network in 2023 alone, seeking treatment. Commenting on the latest findings, Zoe Osmond, CEO of GambleAware, said there was a growing demand for support and treatment service, and it was the government’s responsibility to ensure there was no shortage of opportunities when it comes to offering solutions to what the executive has described as a growing public health problem.
Osmond said it is imperative that proactive measures are taken to address the root causes of gambling harm, including comprehensive educational programs and awareness campaigns, stricter regulations to protect populations. vulnerable and sufficient funding for treatment and support services. He further urged the government to focus its efforts where it matters most, namely, on preventing and protecting consumers from unaffordable losses that have serious consequences on mental, financial and physical well-being.
GambleAware is the leading commissioner for gambling harm prevention and treatment services in Britain. He supports the need for financial risk controls by the gaming industry to protect millions of people from harm caused by unaffordable financial losses, releasing new polling data and demonstrating broad public support for the financial risk control.
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