The Betting and Gaming Council’s CEO and Acting Chair Michael Dugher has highlighted that Safer Gambling Week continues to be a “powerful advert” for player awareness of safer gambling tools.
According to the BGC, figures from Safer Gambling Week 2023 – which ran from November 13 to 19 – showed yearly growth in the number of players setting deposit limits, reality checks, maximum stake limits and increased awareness of the campaign across social media.
The number of deposit limits set during Safer Gambling Week rose by 18 per cent in comparison to the same month in 2022, while 54 per cent of players setting deposit limits did so for the first time.
There was also a 300 per cent increase for the second year in a row in the number of players actively setting a reality check, while the use of maximum stake limits also rose by 300 per cent.
In total, 83,242 unique account holders set deposit limits, which is up by 12.5 per cent in comparison to the previous year.
Across social media – X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram – Safer Gambling Week 2023 achieved over 50 million impressions, as well as a 70 per cent increase on the previous year as Safer Gambling Week messages appeared on major social media websites nearly 30 million times. The Safer Gambling Week website also had half a million visits.
Dugher commented: “These new figures show Safer Gambling Week continues to be a powerful advert for increasing use of safer gambling tools in the regulated industry.
“Millions of customers now use safer gambling tools including deposit limits and time outs. This is a pillar of the regulated industry and is in marked contrast to the unsafe, unregulated and growing online gambling black market, which provides no safer gambling support, contributes zero tax and does not support sport.”
In its seventh year, Safer Gambling Week is an annual cross-sector initiative as the UK and Irish regulated betting and gaming industry, charities and stakeholders promote safe and responsible play, signposting to help and providing advice on tools like deposit limits and time outs, starting the conversation about safer gambling.
The initiative is backed by many cross-party senior MPs and peers – including Gambling Minister Stuart Andrew and several shadow ministers including Shadow Gambling Minister Stephanie Peacock – as well as the UK Gambling Commission and its Chief Executive, Andrew Rhodes.
Among the football clubs that promoted Safer Gambling Week 2023 include Premier League sides West Ham United and Brighton as well as EFL sides Southampton, Middlesborough and Blackpool, who displayed the Safer Gambling Week logo on their shirt for their League One clash with Shrewsbury Town.
Safer Gambling Week 2024 will take place from 18-24 November 2024.
Dugher continued: “Our members promote these tools all year round, but a single dedicated week, bringing together the whole sector alongside huge support from cross-party MPs, from the Government and the independent regulator the Gambling Commission, really turbocharges that work – and these figures show it makes a real difference.
“The record numbers for both impressions and use of safer gambling tools show the industry has never been more committed to ensuring the many millions who enjoy a regular flutter continue to do so in a safe and responsible environment.”
Last month, the BGC reported that its member bookmakers and casinos achieved record compliance rates for age verification checks.