The Importance of Safer Gambling Week 2021
by Azadeh Ghavidel | by Azadeh Ghavidel
The Importance of Safer Gambling Week 2021
Gambling can provide you with plenty of exciting moments. However, it can cause you problems if you don't gamble in a safe manner. In the UK and Ireland, November 1-7 is Safer Gambling Week. It's seven days when all areas of the gambling industry work together to "champion higher standards," and show what tools they have available to help those who may have a gambling problem.
It's not just the High Street and online bookmakers that take part in the week. There's also the bingo clubs, casinos and amusement arcades taking part. The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), Bingo Association and bacta (the amusement machine trade association) will all be busy during these seven days. You can read more about the subject of gambling addiction on our dedicated page.
The annual campaign has been running since 2017, when the industry united for the first time to promote Responsible Gambling Week. Venues and websites will be full of safer gambling measures. The plan is to start a nationwide conversation on how to bet responsibly. It may be taking place in the UK and Ireland, but it's a message that needs to be listened to wherever you live.
Last year's event was a success with the number of social media impressions a healthy 19 million. That's 19 per cent up on the 2019 figure. The number of sessions on the Safer Gambling Week website during last year’s campaign was 18 per cent higher than the year before. it wasn't so easy away from the web though with betting shops, bingo clubs, amusement arcades and casinos closed due to the pandemic.
Meanwhile, operators also reported an increase in the number of customers using safer gambling tools such as setting deposit limits and self-exclusion – proof of the real cut-through Safer Gambling Week has among the general population.
Practice safer gambling at Marathonbet
An All Year Round Job
While this is a special week, it has to be stressed that this is an area in whch regulated betting and gaming operators already work tirelessly all year round to promote safer gambling, including by encouraging deposit limits and time-outs, as well as directing customers to the range of self-exclusion services that exist.
Safer Gambling Week provides an opportunity to go even further by encouraging businesses and organisations to start a conversation, not only with staff and customers, but also with their friends and family.
Michael Dugher, chief executive of the BGC, said: “As the standards body representing the regulated betting and gaming industry, the BGC is delighted to support Safer Gambling Week 2021. Last year’s event was a huge success despite the pandemic and, with the prospect of betting shops and casinos being open when this year’s takes place, I’m sure Safer Gambling Week 2021 will be even better.
“Our members already demonstrate their commitment to safer gambling through things like increased funding for research, education and treatment, the whistle to whistle ban on TV betting commercials during live sport and strict ID and age verification checks. “During the pandemic, we have also seen the number of safer gambling messages on betting websites more than double, while direct interventions where customers have been spending more time and money betting than before Covid have increased by 25 per cent.
“Safer Gambling Week is a great opportunity to highlight this fantastic work – and emphasises the difference between the regulated industry and the unlicensed and illegal online black market, which has none of the safeguards which are commonplace among our members.”
Go to William Hill to practice safer gambling
Set Deposit Limits
Safer Gambling Week comes just two weeks after the launch of 'Take Time To Think', the BGC's campaign to encourage customers to use tools like deposit limits, time-outs and self-exclusion to stay in control of their betting.
"Millions of people enjoy a flutter every year on the National Lottery, at the bingo, on sports, in casinos and gaming online - and the vast majority of them do so safely and responsibly. But one problem gambler is one too many, which is why Safer Gambling Week is so important," said Mr Dugher. "This is about building on the two million customers who now use deposit limits," he added.
The stressing of gambling with licensed and regulated sites cannot be stressed enough. There simply isn't the protection available for customers on the "illegal online black market." Always gamble on sites that have licenses as they have someone to answer to if problems arise.
John White, chief executive of bacta, said: “Safer Gambling Week once again allows the industry to showcase its year-long commitment to safer gambling. It also brings customer focus to the tools that are available to them if they in anyway feel their gambling is becoming problematic. Those tools continue to grow as we learn more about safer gambling and form part of our ambition to cement social responsibility at the heart of our offer to the consumer.”
The 2021 campaign was launched in the wake of a Gambling Commission report which showed that the rate of problem gambling has fallen from 0.6 per cent to 0.3 per cent over the past year. The study also showed that the rate of those classed as being at 'moderate risk' of harm fell from 1.2 per cent to 0.7 per cent in the same time frame.
Andrew Rhodes, Chief Executive of the Gambling Commission said: “We know that over 20 million people in the UK regularly gamble in some way and for the vast majority this is something they do without any issue. However, around 340,000 people in Britain are problem gamblers. With this in mind, Safer Gambling Week is the ideal opportunity for operators to demonstrate how they can raise standards and showcase how Britain can become a world-leader in making gambling as safe as possible.”
