Responsible Gambling Trust – Preventing Addiction
In an age where gambling is at its most accessible point in history, it is no surprise that the risks of gambling addiction are becoming ever more imposing. To stem the tide and prevent an epidemic, the Responsible Gambling Trust was established to provide help to vulnerable individuals. Additionally, the Trust also works with the United Kingdom Gambling Commission to create new player protections. In this article, we will explore the work of the Responsible Gambling Trust and how it benefits UK society.
What Is The Responsible Gambling Trust?
The Responsible Gambling Trust is an independent charity organisation that looks to reduce the harmful effects of gambling addiction. The organisation serves to protect, help and treat vulnerable individuals. It works closely with healthcare experts and medical facilities to provide the best care for those in need.
For the sake of clarity, the organisation initially started under the name of Responsible Gambling Trust. However, in April 2018, it switched to its current name – GambleAware. The two are sometimes confused. In this article, we may use them interchangeably, but we are always referring to the same organisation.
GambleAware is the leading provider of mental health treatment when it comes to gambling addiction. The organisation specialises in this and offers resources to those in need. But its activities do not simply include treatment. GambleAware actively looks to prevent gambling addiction and runs informational campaigns to stop the spread. Whether you have a problem with gambling or one of your loved ones does, GambleAware aims to help all involved.
Goals and Methods
Now that we have established what the Responsible Gambling Trust (RGT) – or GambleAware, whichever one you prefer – stands for, it is time to find out what they actually do for society. The GambleAware Strategic Delivery Plan 2018-2020 outlines their methods and services, designed to reduce instances of gambling addiction across the UK public.
First, the organisation works to identify individuals who are at risk of or already subject to problem gambling. This includes partnering with health care professionals and online betting platforms. After that, GambleAware implements a strategy of promoting their services, partnering with similar organisations, and ensuring a high level of treatment.
Currently, GambleAware treatment options include the National Gambling Helpline, GamCare counselling, aftercare, family support, and more. Additionally, the organisation also works with the NHS National Problem Gambling Clinic and the Gordon Moody Association, with the latter providing residential care.
Additionally, the RGT also runs educational and harm-prevention programmes, to help identify problem gambling among the population. This includes recognising symptoms of gambling addiction among those around you and the harms that come with that. In case you want to gamble but you want to avoid risk, then check the top UK low stake roulette casino sites that are licensed and trusted and pay serious attention to responsible gambling.
Finances and Funding
The Responsible Gambling Trust Fund is a charitable organisation and as such, it primarily relies on donations for its operation. The funds come primarily from entities in the gambling industry, usually from betting services operators. GambleAware asks operators to donate 0.10% of their reported annual Gross Gaming Yield. Depending on the company, this could be a substantial sum of money. From those with a Gross Gaming Yield of less than £250,000, a minimum donation of £250 is expected.
Other companies related to the online gambling industry, but not gambling operators specifically, are still requested to provide funding for GambleAware. Click here to find the top roulette sites in the United Kingdom that pay serious attention to responsible gambling. Once again, the requested donation is a small percentage of their revenues or at minimum £250 per year. The donations are on a voluntary basis, for the most part. The Responsible Gambling Trust (RGT) has set a budget of at least £10 million per year for the 2018-2020 strategy. If the necessary funds are not gathered as planned, the UK Gambling Commission may impose a statutory levy to balance the budget. For the 2018-19 and 2019-2020 cycle, the Fund has gathered £16,352,000 and £16,068,000, respectively.
Based on those figures, the Fund has decided on the following spending plan for the following two years:
| Spending Plan | Amount to be Spent |
|---|---|
| Treatment | £14,335,000 (44% of the budget) |
| Research | £8,000,000 (25% of the budget) |
| Education | £3,600,000 (11% of the budget) |
| Safer Gambling Campaign | £2,000,000 (6% of the budget) |
| Evaluation | £1,800,000 (6% of the budget) |
| Commissioning and Governance | £1,655,000 (5% of the budget) |
| Cost of Generating Funds | £1,030,000 (3% of the budget) |
As expected, the cost of treatment is the primary avenue for spending. Currently, GambleAware provides the most extensive public treatment options of any organisation. As we have mentioned above, individuals in need have several avenues when it comes to receiving help. The spending for each is detailed in the Strategic Delivery Plan 2018-2020. The numbers for the 2019-2020 cycle look like this:
| Treatment Type | Amount Allotted |
|---|---|
| National Gambling Helpline | £929,000 |
| GamCare Counselling | £3,775,000 |
| CNWL NSH National Problem Gambling Clinic | £382,000 |
| Gordon Moody Association | £2,000,000 (6% of the budget) |
| Evaluation | £754,000 |
| New Mutual Aid, Aftercare, Family Support | £798,000 |
| Local Pathways and Case Management | £650,000 |
So far, the 2018-20 period has been the most productive for the organisation. It has managed to acquire approximately £16 million for each of yearly cycles. This is in stark contrast to the 2017-18 cycle, where it only drew in £8,309,357. Clearly, companies and individuals are seeing the added benefit of GambleAware and are pledging their funds to a noteworthy cause.
For the 2020-2021 cycle, the Fund is already accepting donations from gambling operators. The figures are publicly available on the GambleAware Fundraising page. As of this writing, Gamesys Ltd has made the largest Responsible Gambling Trust donation, totalling £450,000. If you are interested in Gamesys betting sites, considering reading our Inter Casino review.
GambleAware Research
One of the core areas of RGT’s work revolves around research. The charity conducts its own programmes to figure out gambling patterns and potential issues. Additionally, it also commissions independent evaluations to outside individuals and organisations. The third and final aspect of the research funds academic posts related to gambling.
The research component of GambleAware allows us to understand some of the core issues regarding gambling addiction. It also helps to figure out which individuals are vulnerable to problem gambling and in which areas in particular.
For example, in July 2020 GambleAware released a study detailing women’s gambling behaviour as it relates to the United Kingdom. Among its most important finds is that BAME women are more likely to affected than those of UK ethnicity. Furthermore, the study details that such women have more difficulty reaching out for help, due to stigma and other societal factors. For more information on the topic, feel free to consult the full Women in Focus study.
All studies are published publicly and you can read all publications on the GambleAware research page.
FAQ about The Responsible Gambling Trust
The Responsible Gambling Trust is a widespread entity and its activities are too extensive to cover in a single blog post. For this reason, we have included some of the common questions people have about it. Below, you will find answers to the most commonly asked questions about GambleAware.
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