GVC Holdings has provided further details of a commitment to increase safer gambling messages and support for problem gamblers, agreed last month alongside bet365, Flutter Entertainment, Sky Betting and Gaming and William Hill.
It was revealed that the five have entered into a partnership that seeks to introduce a package of measures to fund an expansion of treatment for problem gamblers, as well as initiatives to create a safer gambling environment.
Following discussion with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, one step is raising the current 0.1 per cent voluntary contribution of their UK gross gambling yield to one per cent over the next four years, which it is said will raise approximately £60m in 2023 and be maintained at that level for future years.
Within this commitment, the five organisations will also contribute 0.1 per cent of their annual GGY to GambleAware, to support existing treatment commitments and to continue its independent research programme.
Peter Jackson, CEO of Flutter Entertainment, representing all five companies, explained: “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.”
The five operators will also work alongside the DCMS, Department for Health and Social Care and providers of existing services, including the NHS, to discuss how additional funds would be most appropriately deployed, with a view to quadrupling the numbers of those accessing treatment from 2.5 per cent to ten per cent.
Furthermore, an agreement is also in place to increase safer gambling messages in advertising, as well to support dedicated campaigns, and review the tone and content of all marketing, advertising and sponsorship.
Each firm is to report on progress of all the commitments in annual assurance statements to the Gambling Commission, including confirmation of the payment of the one per cent voluntary contribution.
