GambleAware reports over 100,000 people using its self-assessment tool
By Ginevra Alessandrello
Independent UK-based responsible gambling charity GambleAware has reported that over 100,000 people have used its self-assessment tool, launched to align with its “Let’s Open Up about Gambling” campaign.
Designed to break the horrible stigma that gambling has, many top online casinos, minimum bet sportsbooks, and casinos with a minimum deposit have gotten on the bandwagon of the program.
It’s been a long haul to get here, though. As online casino revenues continued to rise, reaching a staggering over £15.1bn by March 2023, those protecting the interests of compulsive gamblers at new online casinos knew they had to do something and do it fast!
The Chief Executive Officer of GambleAware, Zoë Osmond, confirmed that the figures they released reveal how critical it has become to address gambling-related harm.
Gambling addiction comes with feelings of shame, embarrassment, judgement and discrimination which prevent people from talking about it. Instead, their addiction becomes their dirty little secret, which they guard in private.
Alexia Clifford, GambleAware’s Chief Communications Officer, confirmed that more than half of their target audience decided to take proactive steps to reduce gambling, which is an excellent result.
Over the past few years, there has been a massive drive by regulators and governments globally to do something about protecting vulnerable players, not only the underaged but players that enjoy gambling at top-rated online casinos and minimum bet sportsbooks.
Responsible gambling is promoted at top-rated online casinos through the Responsible Gambling portal that best online casinos. Here, players can limit their deposits and gambling time, self-exclude and join gambling addiction support groups like GambleAware.
Gamblers seek further support from advisors
This well-thought-out campaign by GambleAware reached tens of millions of people and touched the hearts of many. To ensure everyone got the best possible advice, more than 8,000 professionals were trained to identify the signs of gambling harm at rates in online casinos. This bold move produced an excellent result: 28,000 people decided to get help from a qualified advisor.
The GambleAware campaign also revealed a 20% increase in gamblers getting support from the National Gambling Support Network, GambleAware’s commissioned support line.
Of the 100,000 people using the GambleAware self-assessment tool, roughly 28,000 contacted the National Gambling Helpline via telephone or live chat to take back their lives.
The rise of responsible gambling measures in the UK
The United Kingdom is a country that highly regulates its online gambling, mainly because UK punters enjoy gambling so much that authorities have to work over and beyond to deal with the rise of gambling addiction.
Online sports betting and gambling games in the UK have grown alongside technological advancements since the first online casino started in the mid-1990s. Before that, gambling enthusiasts went to the local pub for slots or travelled to a land-based casino to play table games like poker, roulette, blackjack, and slots. Online gambling turned the whole industry on its head.
The Gambling Act 2005 was implemented to protect vulnerable players and the underaged. Still, as time has passed, and especially after COVID, gambling has become so popular that it’s quite simply run off its tracks. In the UK, GambleAware was established in 2008 to deal with this problem.
In the early 2000s, online sports betting became the best thing, and every major bookmaker established an online platform. The mobile revolution further changed the industry, and suddenly, everyone wanted to play top slots and live casino games from their tablets and iOS and Android mobiles.
Over the years, regulators and governments have introduced various regulatory reforms to strengthen player protection, address underage gambling, and promote responsible gambling.
GambleAware allocates funds to companies that provide support for gambling-related addiction. In the tax year 2020/2021, GambleAware distributed £19 million in grants to support counselling services and helplines that help players regain control of their lives.
Anyone in the UK marketing online gambling games or online sports betting must comply with safer gambling tools such as limiting their deposits, reality checks, and temporary and permanent self-exclusion. Then there’s the GambleAware and UK online casino’s self-assessment forms that help players figure out if their gambling is taking a toxic turn for the worse.
Of course, there will be more gambling addiction cases with gambling becoming so super popular in the UK and beyond. Still, campaigns like “Let’s Open Up About Gambling” and more security measures such as the recent stake limits for online slots UK Casinos, which introduced a £2.53 limit for players aged 18 to 24 and a £5 limit for players from 25 and over.
GambleAware is moving quickly with its campaigns. In addition to its responsible gambling self-assessment campaign, it has placed big adverts in the sports sections of popular newspapers in the UK, including The Sun, Sunday Mirror, Metro, and Daily Star.
In time for the Champions League final, the GambleAware adverts push the point across about the harm of gambling. Their news brand print campaign has reached a massive 1.9 million people and 41,000 mentions on social media.
Their media campaign made a real difference in people’s lives, with 160,000 people visiting the website, 22,000 using the self-help tool, and 8,016 calls to the helpline.
Here is an example of a self-assessment form from GambleAware. For readers interested in completing this short self-assessment, answer these easy 8 questions:
- Do you ever feel worried about your online gambling?
- Is your gambling causing you any difficulties?
- In what areas of your life is gambling causing the most difficulties? (Financial, Emotional, Relationships, Feeling judged, Health)
- Do you feel you need to keep gambling with more significant amounts of money?
- Have you ever gambled with more than you could afford to lose?
- Have you ever gone back later or the next day to try to win back money you’ve lost?
- Have you ever hidden anything about your gambling?
Answering yes more than 3 times puts you in the risk zone, so consider registering at Gamble Aware and take back control. Your name can be kept anonymous, and you can choose which field to answer in the registration form. Once registered, you can speak to an adviser for confidential advice, information, and emotional support.
GambleAware’s website offers plenty of helpful advice and encourages people to join. It offers non-judgemental support and trained counsellors who are experts at dealing with gambling addiction problems. Talking about your feelings is an important step; you will also find lots of financial support to help you take control.