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UK’s five leading gambling companies have committed to spend £100m on gambling addiction treatment services over the next four years as part of a wider package of safer gambling measures and support for people experiencing problems.
Bet365, William Hill, Flutter Entertainment, Sky Betting & Gaming and GVC Holdings have made its decision after discussions with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on social and safer gambling responsibilities.
The five companies are set to boost the voluntary levy on their gambling profits from 0.1% to 1% up to 2023. The change in the levy paid by the operators is expected to bring a contribution of about £60 million.
This will see the five operators spend £100m over the next four years to enhance problem gambling treatment in coordination, with the key priority to quadruple the number of those accessing treatment from 2.5 to 10 per cent.
The operators have also agreed to increase safer gambling messaging in their advertising and to support dedicated campaigns, alongside reviewing the tone and content of all their marketing, advertising and sponsorship programmes.
“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,” said Flutter Entertainment chief executive Peter Jackson on behalf of all five companies.
