GambleAware Receives almost £431,000 in Donations for Q1 - 2023-24 Financial Year

A UK charity known as GambleAware has announced that it received a total of £430,813 in donations and pledges during the first quarter of the 2023-24 financial year, which ended on June 30th. This contribution reflects the ongoing commitment of operators to support vital research, education, and treatment initiatives aimed at promoting responsible gambling. The donations were made up of £320K from operators, which were specifically for Research, Education, and Treatment contributions. Additionally, £114K came from non-RET donations, all of which were given by 888. Such donations encompass unclaimed winnings or funds derived from dormant betting accounts.

Although the overall donation amount saw a marginal 1.1% decrease compared to the previous year's first quarter, it highlights the continuing commitment from operators to collaborate in the fight against gambling-related harm. Operators are encouraged to donate at least 0.1% of their gross gaming yield (GGY) to GambleAware annually. However, the Gambling Act review white paper has proposed a mandatory levy, which GambleAware has publicly endorsed. This could further enhance the charity's capacity to effectively address and mitigate gambling-related harm.

Notably, operators with an annual GGY below £250,000 are requested to contribute a fixed amount of £250 to support the charity's endeavors. During the quarter specified, there were no contributions from regulatory settlements. However, GambleAware remains focused on pursuing collaborative partnerships to secure the necessary funding for its initiatives.

A breakdown of the donations revealed an average RET donation of £2,757 for the quarter, indicating a 9.0% decline compared to the previous year. However, GambleAware highlighted that major operators typically make RET contributions towards the end of the financial year, accounting for the absence of donations from these entities during Q1.

Among the notable contributors during Q1, BetFred made the largest donation of £50,000, followed by Games Global with £35,000 and Star Racing with £28,916. Betway and Virgin Bet made generous donations of £25,000 and £22,836, respectively. Other notable contributors included the Postcode Lottery with £18,708, LiveScore with £15,574, Castle Leisure with £14,000, and Bandai Namco Amusement Europe with £10,640.

Looking back at the entirety of the 2022-23 financial year, GambleAware received a total of £46.5 million in donations, marking a substantial 34.0% increase compared to the previous year. This upward trend reflects the collective determination of the industry to address problem gambling and promote responsible gambling practices.