October 17-23 is Safer Gambling Week 2022. Safer Gambling Week is a cross-country initiative to promote safer gambling in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
This year's Safer Gambling Week runs October 17 until 23, and will see the whole industry coming together in a combined effort to raise awareness of safer gambling, the tools that are available to help, and sources of further advice and support.
The "Safer Gambling Week" campaign is organized by the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), BACTA, and the Bingo Association. Now on its fifth year, this year's event will see a bunch of safer gambling messages both online and in land-based venues, to initiate a nationwide conversation about betting responsibly.
DCMS Parliamentary Under-Secretary Damian Collins MP said:
"We support the industry coming together to champion safer gambling and highlight the resources available to help reduce harmful gambling.
"We are working quickly to finalize details of a gambling white paper to make sure the rules governing the industry are fit for the digital age."
Chief Executive of the Gambling Commission Andrew Rhodes said:
"Any opportunity to shine a national spotlight on the importance of gambling safely and securely is important. Safer Gambling Week provides that platform but also gives an additional chance for operators to collaborate and share best practice around how they protect their customers. The safety of customers should be at the heart of each and every decision operators make."
Shadow Secretary of State for DCMS Lucy Powell said:
"The Safer Gambling Week campaign is an important initiative to promote gambling awareness and to prevent problem gambling. I welcome gambling companies taking more responsibility for this and for supporting Safer Gambling."
The yearly campaign continues on the heels of the record-breaking Safer Gambling Week 2021, during which the promotion and awareness of safer gambling tools such as deposit limits led to an increase by 17% in their use versus the previous 4-week average. The statistics of social media impressions for Safer Gambling Week 2021 hit 24.5 million, a 16% increase on the previous year.
All year round, regulated gaming and betting operators already work tirelessly to promote safer gambling, including by encouraging time-outs and deposit limits, as well as guiding customers to a range of self-exclusion options that exist.
Safer Gambling Week gives the opportunity to go even further by encouraging organizations and businesses to initiate a conversation, not only with customers and staff, but also with their family and friends. The annual campaign provides a consistent voice to raise safer gambling awareness, highlighting support and the tools available throughout the year.
Chief Executive of the BGC Michael Dugher said:
"We know that at 0.2 per cent, rates of problem gambling have fallen and are low by international comparisons, which is welcome news, but Safer Gambling Week is further evidence of the regulated industry's determination to keep raising standards.
"Safer Gambling Week is about showcasing safer gambling tools - like time-outs and deposit limits - that exist in the regulated industry to ensure that the millions of people who enjoy a regular flutter continue to do so in a safe and responsible environment. It's also, most crucially, about signposting the professional advice, support and help that is out there for anyone who may be struggling with gambling."
Safer gambling depicts an industry-wide commitment to reducing the risk of problem gambling and gambling-related harms. A key feature of this commitment is to empower customers with the knowledge of safer gambling tools to help manage their gambling more safely.
The latest statistics from the Gambling Commission showed the rate of problem gambling from January to June 2022 was 0.2% of the population - down from 0.4% the previous year. However, one problem gambler is one too many and there is no room for complacency.
The industry - which includes betting, gaming, amusements, casinos, and bingo - is committed to building upon its record on safer gambling to go further to support customers.
Safer Gambling Week is just one of the ways we work together to do this.
Chief Executive of the Bingo Association Miles Baron said:
"The Bingo Association is delighted to be working alongside BACTA and The Betting and Gaming Council to once again support and promote Safer Gambling Week."
Chief Executive of BACTA John White said:
"SG Week provides an opportunity to highlight what the gambling sector does all year round to ensure customers can enjoy their recreational wagering safe in the knowledge that operators are there for them and their peers if things start to get out of control."
For more information on Safer Gambling Week, visit their official website safergamblinguk.org.
Source:
https://bettingandgamingcouncil.com/news/sgweek22
https://safergamblinguk.org/
