-
Casinos for you
5 BGC Members Pledge a £100 Million Fund to Address Problem Gambling
By Jeff Osienya Jun 17, 2020 IndustryThe BGC continues to advocate for safer gambling after five of its biggest member operators promise £100 million in funding to assist problem gamblers. GamCare and BetRegret 2020 campaigns will also receive donations.GambleAware, the non-governmental UK based organization responsible for tackling problem gambling will be receiving a £100 million ($150 million) donation from five members of the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC). BGC is the UK’s gaming trade association that champions for upholding the highest industry standards through a strict code of conduct followed by all its partner members.
According to BGC’s announcement, the funds will be provided by two of Flutter Entertainment brands (Sky Betting and Gaming and PaddyPower Betfair) and three other members namely Bet365, William Hill and GVC Holdings. This funding will be used to augment research education and treatment (RET) programs to offer better assistance to players with gambling problems.
So far, the annual contribution that the BGC members have been donating to charities has been going a long way. Hence, this extra $150 million kitty will be an added advantage towards the RET cause.
Scaling Up the Problem Gambling Contributions
The five UK operators pledged that they’ll increase their annual contribution to GambleAware tenfold from the current 0.1% to 1% of their yearly revenue by 2023. They plan to make annual increments of 0.25% starting in 2020, then 0.5% in 2021, 0.75% come 2022, and finally hit the 1% target in 2023.
BGC’s newfound commitment is aligned with the £10 million education and support program unveiled late last month for youngsters aged between 11 and 19 years. To further this noble pursuit, GamCare/YGAM will also be receiving £2.5 million to improve its education projects as well. On top of that, BGC members will also be giving £3.8 million more to fund the BetRegret 2020, a P.R. campaign that is aimed at fostering safer and more responsible gambling.
It’s quite encouraging to see the strides that the BGC has been making of late towards the betterment of the industry given that it was only formed in 2019. The Council’s founding was part of a new resolve by industry supporters to reduce the harm of irresponsible gambling through measures such as education, tighter regulations for gambling marketing, and improved services for victims of problem gambling.
What the Top Brass in the Industry Saying About this New Initiative
Following BGC’s announcement, Michael Dugher, the BGC boss commented that this funding pledge is a sign that Council and its associate members are steadfast in their mission to improve the quality of treatment programs for problem gamblers.
Matt Hancock, UK’s Health Secretary also chimed in saying that he was pleased by the Council’s new initiative. Hancock further added that the UK government will continue tackling the repercussions of problem gambling by rolling out professional services via the NHS to offer more specialized care and treatment for those who need it most.
Besides the funding initiative, Dugher also lauded the efforts of top industry players on the strides they’ve made in protecting customers and staff in retail betting facilities across the UK as they begin their post-pandemic operations. He specifically commended William Hill and Coral for deploying tools such as “sneeze screens” and “call-over” stations intended to minimize the risk of getting exposed to the novel coronavirus.
You might also like