GambleAware Continues the Battle by Investing £3.9m to Combat Problem Gambling

GambleAware, the institution that sponsors studies which aim to prevent and treat gambling-related harm is undoubtedly tireless in its enormous efforts. The latest investment of £3.9m has a purpose to the expansion of the National Gambling Treatment Service via GamCare and its partners. The initiatives…

…will receive funds immediately and supplement other developments that have already been announced. One of the projects is a collaboration with Adfam to improve for those affected by the gambling of others. The other is a crucial investment to open the NHS Northern Gambling Clinic.

Financial for Multiple Projects

The biggest part of the funds, £2.35m, will be directed towards expanding the provision of face-to-face medication services in England, Scotland, and Wales. The sum of £705,000 should enable the National Gambling Helpline to provide advice and brief interventions to a bigger number of affected people. The share of £435,000…

…will give access to computerized Cognitive Behavioural Therapy where this form of treatment is clinically appropriate. A similar amount of £438,000 aims to develop peer so that individuals recovering from addiction issues can help others to access treatment and aftercare. The UK definitely puts plenty of effort in combating these growing problems.

Reducing Barriers to Treatment

As Marc Etches, chief executive of GambleAware, pointed out, the aim of the donation to help individuals overcome the barriers and ask for help, if necessary. By demonstrating the commitment to change people’s lives, the investment should increase the capacity for therapies. He also said:

“Today’s announcement reflects a commitment by GambleAware to take a strategic approach to commissioning treatment services, to give people the help that they need to tackle the hidden addiction of problem gambling, and to improve the quality of life for them and their families.”

Grown Sustainability and Offer

Chief executive of GamCare, Anna Hemmings, declared that GamCare is honored to have developed a collaboration with another organization dedicated to the same goal. This funding will help them expand access, making them available for the harmed ones. She announced as follows:

“With it, we will be able to reach larger numbers of people in more locations nationally, offering a wider range of services including both online and peer alongside our existing treatment provision. GamCare and its network of regional partners provide services which significantly improve the quality of life of those harmed by gambling, and we will continue to develop our services to ensure that they can grow sustainably and offer the right at the right time to as many people as possible.”

More Funds Needed

Having in mind that the industry’s expansion brings more problem gamers, it is anticipated that GambleAware’s efforts to help deliver the National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms will require additional funding…

… for core services from April 2020. Last week the institution declared that it had received £7.3m in one-off regulatory settlements. The sum will allow the charity to plan to spend a considerably bigger amount of money than the one it seeks each year from the gambling industry through voluntary donations in the short term. To be precise, it’s more than £10m.

Source:

“GambleAware to invest additional £3.9m to fight problem gambling”, casinobeats.com, May 14, 2019.