GambleAware launches five-year plan to improve treatment services

GambleAware has published its first five-year organisational strategy as the charity looks to combat at-risk gambling in the UK.

The new strategy is underpinned by four key pillars: developing awareness and understanding of gambling-related harm, increasing access to treatment services, building capacity and improving the National Gambling Treatment Service (NGTS).

GambleAware cited pledges made by the so-called big four gambling operators (bet365, Flutter, William Hill, Entain) to donate £100m to GambleAware over the next five years as a key factor in making the new strategy a reality.

“Longer-term financial commitments from the gambling industry have made it possible for GambleAware to focus, not simply on grant making and procurement of services, but on investment in preventing gambling harms for the longer term,” the charity explained.

The increased investment, GambleAware has said, will be based on a public health approach comprising three tiers of harm prevention, universal, selective and indicated, with all three aiming to address identified gaps in treatment provision.

GambleAware’s new five-year strategy includes more than 40 programmes across RET areas including NGTS improvement, co-commissioning of place-based hubs, training programmes, research and a targeted gambling-related harm prevention campaign aimed at women and minority communities.

“In five years, the charity anticipates that the successful implementation of this strategy will ensure these goals are achieved.

“Ultimately, it will mean fewer people experience gambling harms, with those that do receiving timely and effective support. The aim is for these changes to be sustained beyond the five-year term of this strategy,” GambleAware added.

Earlier this month, the charity reported a £9m uptick in voluntary contributions in 2020, with contributions hitting a record £19m during the last 12 months.

Flutter donated the largest amount at £9.3m, although this included voluntary contributions from its sub-brands including Paddy Power Betfair, Sky Bet and The Stars Group.

Entain donated £4.3m to GambleAware during the period, while William Hill and bet365 donated £1.4m and £763,000 respectively.

Reflecting on the new five-year strategy, GambleAware CEO Zoë Osmond said: “Thanks to greater certainty in funding, we are now able to develop and implement longer-term commissioning plans to work towards a society where fewer people experience gambling harms and ensure that those who do receive timely and effective support.

“Over the next five years, we will work to build the accessibility and effectiveness of the National Gambling Treatment Service and ensure it is recognised as a strong coalition of treatment services and prevention activities, delivered in collaboration with the NHS and others.

“By 2026, we hope to have made significant progress towards our vision, but also want to ensure that these programmes will continue to be sustained beyond the five-year term of this strategy,” she added.