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Media Information
Immediate Release
30th October 2019
People who gamble too much can experience a range of financial impacts, including debt, which in turn can lead to adverse impacts on relationships and mental wellbeing.
In response to this, key sectors including banking, debt advice, gambling treatment, and the gambling industry have launched various initiatives and resources. These include steps to address issues of financial capability amongst customers, tools to identify and support individuals experiencing financial harm, as well as guidelines for how much is an ‘affordable’ amount to spend on gambling. Until now, these activities have mostly gone on independently of one another.
GamCare, the leading national provider of gambling support, has launched a new initiative to facilitate collaboration for those working to address gambling related financial harm with a cross-sector approach. GamCare’s objective is to maximise the effectiveness of work undertaken to tackle gambling related financial harm across all sectors and to ensure that consumers are receiving consistent, timely and accurate advice and support from organisations across these fields. The project will create a range resources that are focused on the needs of individuals experiencing gambling related financial harm, including best practice guidance for organisations in these sectors, training packages and consistent and up to date messaging.
The Advisory Panel, which will steer the direction of the activity, includes representatives from HSBC, NatWest, Santander, Citizens Advice, Playtech, The Remote Gambling Association, the Senet Group, the Money and Pensions Service, and Payplan, as well as individuals with lived experience of gambling related financial harm.
Megan Pengelly, Programme Manager at GamCare, says: “Each year, around two thirds of the people we speak to on the National Gambling HelpLine disclose some form of debt and related financial difficulties because of their own gambling, or because of a loved one’s gambling.
There is increasing recognition from different sectors that many of their customers struggle with gambling-related financial harms and that collectively we must consider better advice and consumer protections to reduce the financial harms that gambling may cause.
GamCare is bringing together champions from across these four sectors to coordinate the development of best practice, and to create a suite of resources and training which will ensure that consumers receive timely advice and support to reduce potential harms.”
Rachel Duffey, CEO of PayPlan, commented: “PayPlan is happy to be a part of this collective network, in the push to tackle gambling-related financial harms. The number of people who voluntarily disclosed a gambling addiction to us rose by over 280% between 2015 and 2018, so it’s vital that we have appropriate and accessible support in place for them.”
Neil Wainwright, Customer Protection Manager at NatWest, said: “We’re very pleased to be a part of the Gambling Related Financial Harm Advisory Panel. We recognise the role banks and credit organisations play in supporting and protecting problem gamblers in the UK, and we’re working hard to ensure we can provide the best specialist advice and services to customers affected.
We’re looking forward to working with representatives of the Advisory Group to encourage deeper understanding of the financial harm that gamblers and their families can face and develop best practice support to help those who want to stop”.
Senior policy and propositions manager at the Money and Pensions Service, Valentine Mulholland, said: “Problem gambling can leave people with chronic and acute personal debt. While money guidance and debt advice can highlight problems the current systems of referring and helping people are not always as effective as they should be. I look forward to contributing to this important work to develop better solutions to reduce the long-term damage problem gambling can do to people’s financial health and overall wellbeing.”
Ian Ince, Head of Regulatory Affairs and Compliance at Playtech said: “We are delighted to support and partner with GamCare on this important programme. GamCare’s initiative
demonstrates the power and importance of cross sector collaboration to deliver consistent, scaleable and impactful programmes that support financial wellbeing and advance the National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms.”
The programme will also engage a wider network of organisations to contribute to the growing knowledge base, develop new ideas and test new resources. To be kept up to date or if your organisation would like to participate, contact Raminta Diliso
raminta.diliso@gamcare.org.uk.
For more information, visit www.gamcare.org.uk
ENDS
For more information contact Catherine Sweet, GamCare Head of Marketing and Communications: catherine.sweet@gamcare.org.uk / 020 7801 7000.
GamCare – Working to minimise gambling-related harm
Distributed by Pressat
No media attached. Please contact GamCare for more information.