UK Minister and Gambling Commission Support Safer Gambling Week 2020

Nigel Huddleston, UK Minister for Sport, Tourism and Heritage, and UK Gambling Commission Chief Executive, Neil McArthur, have today confirmed the Department’s and Commission’s support of Safer Gambling Week 2020, the national campaign to raise awareness of safer gambling.

More than 100,000 staff at more than 9,000 gambling venues and online sites in the UK and Ireland will take part in Safer Gambling Week, helping to drive a national conversation. Operators promote safer gambling 365 days of the year, but Safer Gambling Week creates the opportunity for all businesses and organisations to have a conversation about safer gambling not only with their customers, but also with their staff and in turn their friends and family.

All gambling operators are committed to the campaign, taking place from 19th – 25th November and will promote consistent messages and branding in venues, online and on social media.

Several operators, suppliers and publishers have announced significant initiatives to ensure the campaign reaches the widest possible audience with a range of virtual events and training also taking place.

Let’s Talk About Safer Gambling remains the strapline of Safer Gambling Week 2020: in coming together with one voice, the campaign, through an ever increasing number and range of supporters, is able to extend its reach, year on year, and build on and add to the work that operators and other organisations undertake throughout the year.

The key messages:

• Ask yourself…  have you carried on past your spending limit?
• Just a heads up… it’s good to set yourself limits
• Just a heads up…  it’s easy to lose track of time when gambling
• Play smart…  know when to stop
• Remember…  friends and family are more important than gambling
• Remember…  gambling is not a way to make money

Michael Dugher, Chief Executive, Betting and Gaming Council, said:“We are delighted to be supporting this year’s Safer Gambling Week. We have made huge strides at the BGC in our first year in raising standards, including a requirement that at least 20 per cent of all TV and radio betting ads are safer gambling messaging, cooling off periods on gaming machines, encouraging deposit limits, new ID and age verification checks and massively increasing funding for research, education and treatment.

“But we are eager to go further – and look forward to working with the Government on the Gambling Review to introduce further changes that ensure that the millions of people who enjoy an occasional flutter, do so enjoyably and safely.”

Neil McArthur, Chief Executive of the Gambling Commission went on to say: “We welcome the emphasis on safer gambling and it is encouraging to see operators from all sectors collaborating to raise awareness of the need to put consumer safety at the heart of everything they do.”