Gaming operators’ donations to GambleAware increase by 255%
GambleAware has announced that it received £16m in donations in the first three quarters of its fiscal year.
UK.- The industry-based responsible gambling charity GambleAware has seen a massive boost to its funding in the past year.
In the first three quarters of its financial year (the nine months ending December 31) it received pledges and donations totalling £16m. That’s 255.6 per cent more than in the same period in the previous year.
The boost in funding was led by multi-million-pound pledges from Bet365 and Entain. Bet365 was again the biggest donor, contributing £4.2m – all of it in the first two quarters.
Entain was close behind with a total donation of £4m over the nine months. William Hill was the other big donor, pledging £1m in the first half.
Those three operators plus Flutter, which has yet to make a donation, have promised to provide £100m in funding for GambleAware’s treatment services for problem gamblers.
The figures come after the future of treatment services was put in doubt when the National Health Service (NHS) announced it will no longer accept funding from GambleAware because of its industry links.
GambleAware has insisted on its independence from its major donors but CEO Zoe Osmond said the NHS’s decision demonstrated that the scheme of voluntary donations was no longer sustainable and that the British government must introduce a mandatory levy on gambling operators.
She said a levy would resolve concerns over integrity in gambling research, education and treatment.
Donations to GambleAware
Other significant donations to GambleAware in the first three quarters included £93,715 from Petfre Gibraltar, £92,000 from Unibet, £80,000 from TSG Interactive Services and £60,000 from Betway.
Playtech Software pledged £51,768 and Videoslots and Zecure Gaming £50,000. Star Racing made separate donations of £20,720 and £26,069 and White Hat Gaming pledged £47,230.
GambleAware requests that all businesses that make a profit from gambling in Britain donate at least 0.1 per cent of annual gross gambling yield.
The funds go towards programmes such as the National Gambling Treatment Service, the Annual Treatment and Support Survey and GambleAware’s Gambling Education Hubs.
