GambleAware, a British charity protecting people from gambling harm, shared details about the donations it received in the first three quarters of the 2022/23 fiscal year.
GambleAware Received Donations from Many Companies
The charity listed the full list of benefactors and noted that it has received a total of £13,209,805 ($16,318,204, current conversion rates) between April 1 and December 2022. This funding was provided in the form of voluntary donations by companies from within the industry.
The two biggest contributors were bet365 and Entain. The two gambling juggernauts collectively donated over 90.4% of the total sum received by GambleAware within these nine months. Entain, which operates the Ladbrokes brand, donated $8.6 million. Bet365, on the other hand, donated around $4.9 million through its three local brands.
Other operators’ contributions collectively amounted to the remaining 9.6%. The full list of operators and their donations can be checked on GambleAware’s official website.
The four biggest operators in the United Kingdom have been increasing their donations since 2020 as a part of an initiative by Britain’s Betting and Gaming Council (BGC). The union seeks to increase the funding provided by the industry for the research, prevention and treatment of problem gambling. As a result, the BGC asked the four biggest operators to donate 1% of their profits to GambleAware.
Other operators are expected to make donations by March 31. The BGC expects companies that profit from gambling to donate a minimum of 0.1% of their GGR to the charity each year. Smaller companies that earn less than $308,000 a year need only donate $308. The full list of contributions, GambleAware noted, will be reported to the UKGC in April.
The Charity Vows to Use the Funds in a Transparent Manner
GambleAware noted that all funds donated go towards activities that are delivered against its commissioning objectives. The charity strives to maintain transparency and accountability and make sure that the funding provided is put to proper use. To that end, GambleAware recently published its commissioning intentions, laying out its strategic commissioning approach for the National Gambling Treatment Service.
GambleAware reminded readers that its commissioning intentions support the delivery of its Organizational Strategy. In addition, the charity bases its approach on its understanding of the resources it needs to provide British bettors with the resources they need. GambleAware concluded that it always seeks to utilize the most cost-effective and impactful methods.
The charity concluded its statement by once again calling for the introduction of a compulsory levy. As Britain’s gambling industry awaits the long-overdue gambling reregulation, many specialists, GambleAware included, have supported the introduction of a mandatory 1% levy that would replace the current voluntary donations. The problem gambling specialist believes that this would provide it with funding that will help it boost its efforts and deliver better treatment results.