This year's Safer Gambling Week event will take place from 13-19 November 2023 and will see the entire industry come together to further promote safer gambling, highlighting the tools available so customers can stay in control and reporting help and advice to those who need it.
Organized by BGC, BACTA and the Bingo Association, Safer Gambling Week is now in its seventh year and will once again see a blitz of messages about safer gambling both online and in land-based collection points, to spark a worldwide conversation national on responsible betting.
The Minister of Gambling Stuart Andrew said: "Gambling Week is a good reminder of the work already underway by government, industry and regulators to prevent harm.
The measures outlined in our White Paper will help protect those most at risk of gambling-related harm, whilst enabling those who choose to gamble to do so safely. We are taking action to prevent gambling addiction, improve safer gaming tools and strengthen messaging to prevent people from incurring potentially life-changing losses.
We welcome the gambling industry's initiative to use this week to increase awareness and awareness of this important issue."
Andrew Rhodes, chief executive officer of the Gambling Commission, said: “Safety should be at the heart of all gambling at all times.
But Safer Gambling Week offers a unique opportunity to draw even more attention to its importance.
It also provides the opportunity for operators to share best practice and ensure that people in Britain have the safest gambling opportunities in the world.”
The annual campaign will build on the success of last year's October event, when around 200.000 accounts set deposit limits during the month, an increase of 12,5% compared to the same month last year. Meanwhile, 61% of players who set deposit limits were doing so for the first time.
The number of players actively using controls – on-screen alerts that track how long customers are playing – has increased by an astonishing 300%.
Safer Gambling Week also broke previous social media records, generating nearly 30 million impressions across Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, an increase of 21% over 2021.
Regulated betting and gaming operators already work tirelessly all year round to promote safer gambling, including by encouraging deposit limits and time-outs, as well as directing customers to the range of self-exclusion services that exist.
Safer Gambling Week offers the opportunity to go even further, encouraging businesses and organizations to start a conversation, not just with staff and customers, but also with their friends and family. The annual campaign provides a consistent voice to raise awareness of safer gambling, highlighting the help, support and tools available throughout the year.
Michael Dugher, CEO of BGC, said: “Game Week safer gambling is now an established annual event, promoting the vital tools for safer gambling available only in the regulated betting and gaming industry and reporting help to those who need it. At the heart of all this is our commitment to providing customers with the knowledge and tools to bet safely all year round.
We also use the week to highlight the exceptional work done by third sector organisations, such as GamCare who provide treatment and run the National Gambling Helpline, Gordon Moody who provide residential treatment and YGAM who educate young people about the dangers of harmful gambling.
The Betting and Gaming Council is committed to building its record on safer gambling, preventing harm and supporting those who need help. Safer Gambling Week is just one way the entire industry is working together to achieve this.”
Miles Baron, chief executive of the Bingo Association, said: “The Bingo Association is delighted to be working alongside BACTA and The Betting and Gaming Council to once again support and promote Safer Gambling Week.”
John White, CEO of Bacta, said: “SG Week provides an opportunity to highlight what the gambling industry does all year round to ensure customers can enjoy their leisure activities with the knowledge that operators are there for them and their colleagues if things start to get out of control.”
Around 22,5 million adults in Britain gamble every month, while the rate of problem gambling in the UK is low by international standards, standing at 0,4% of the adult population in England, according to the latest NHS Health Survey.
For more information on Safer Gambling Week, visit www.safergamblingweek.org. The Safer Gambling Week social channels are also active: @SGWeek on Twitter/X, Facebook and Instagram.
