UK Gambling Firms to Fund More for Helping Addicts

Five UK based gambling companies have committed to the measures to address problem gambling, including a major increase in funding for addiction, following government pressure. The companies are Bet365, Flutter, GVC, Sky Betting & Gaming and William Hill.

These five companies have agreed on the proposals to create a safer gambling environment after discussions with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

The gambling firms will significantly increase their financial support for safer gambling, increasing their commitment from 0.1% of their gross gambling yield to 1% by 2023. This will result in roughly £60m in funding support from the firms in 2023, and it will remain at that level for the future.

Over the next four years, the firms will cumulatively spend £100m on addiction treatment and co-operate with health organisations to determine where support is most needed. The companies have also agreed to review the tone and content of advertising and marketing, as well as, increase messages regarding safer gambling.

“This is an unprecedented level of commitment and collaboration by the leading companies in the British betting and gaming sector to address gambling-related harm and promote safer gambling. The whistle-to-whistle advertising ban was a good start; now we are funding a significant expansion in treatment and we continue to work on a number of areas of collaboration and best practice. Our aim is nothing less than a step change in how we tackle gambling-related harm,” on behalf of the five companies, Peter Jackson, chief executive of Flutter said.