News
GAMCARE CAMPAIGNS FOR INCLUSION OF HELPLINE NUMBER
29 August 2007
A wave of gambling advertising will be upon us at the end of this week. GamCare deplores the Government’s decision not to require these new gambling advertisements to include the Helpline number. Not only has the Government refused to make it mandatory for the Helpline number to be included, as is the case in every other English-speaking jurisdiction, it will not even recommend that gambling operators should include the Helpline number in their advertisements.
The Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) says that the gambling industry’s self-regulatory code requires the inclusion of a new website address on all advertising; this website will provide general Information on all aspects of gambling (including where to find help). DCMS argues that it would therefore be inappropriate to recommend the inclusion of the Helpline number on those advertisements.
The Gambling Commission says that it would not have been possible for a telephone service to have been established by 1 September. GamCare has been providing exactly such a service for the last 10 years and is fully prepared for a substantial increase in calls.
Advertising works which is why companies pay large sums of money to advertise. Gambling advertising will produce more gamblers which will in turn produce more problem gamblers, despite protestations to the contrary.
Anthony Jennens, Chairman of GamCare, said:
“Gambling companies have every right to advertise and it could be argued that their product is substantially less dangerous than motor cars, liquor or cheap hamburgers. However, Government views gambling as so dangerous or morally corrupting that it must be tightly controlled and regulated. It is wholly inconsistent with this stance to fail to include such a basic safeguard as a direct Helpline number, where a trained telephone counsellor can give objective advice about where to go for help, including local providers, Gambler’s Anonymous etc.”
“GamCare wishes to express the sincere hope that Government will revise its policy on the Helpline number and that the ten years of hard work that have gone into the creation of the charity will not have been wasted.”
For further details please contact:
Eileen Kinghan
Marketing Director
+44 (0)20 7801 7003
eileen@gamcare.org.uk