News

GAMCARE WELCOMES NEW FUNDING PARTNERSHIP

10 October 2011

 NEWS RELEASE

GAMCARE WELCOMES NEW FUNDING PARTNERSHIP

Interviewee available: Andy McLellan, Chief Executive, GamCare

10 October 2011

Image: The GamCare Logo

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GamCare is delighted to accept The GREaT Foundation’s offers to fund our gambling helpline for three years from 1 October and our counselling and treatment services until the end of March 2012

Welcoming the agreements with GREaT, Gamcare’s Chairman Anthony Jennens said:

“We have been really impressed by the speed with which GREaT has picked up the baton passed to them only last month by the Responsible Gambling Fund. In that time we have forged an excellent working partnership with GREaT which will serve the interests of all those – gamblers and non-gamblers – whom our services are designed to help. We look forward to a long and constructive partnership which will continue to put the interests of those who need our help at the top of our joint priorities.”

Chief Executive Andy McLellan added:

“The three year funding deal for the helpline at last delivers the security of funding recommended by the Gambling Commission’s review in 2009. As well as trialling a freephone service, we will also be able to:

  • Introduce dedicated services for under-16s, non-English speakers, and partners and other family members
  • Experiment with new approaches to make more use of the skills and expertise of our helpline advisers and so help people earlier
  • Develop our use of social media to reach new audiences.

 

We also look forward to agreeing a similar three year contract for delivering treatment services from 1 April 2012, allowing us to develop and expand our existing counselling network to cover the whole country. This security of funding is vital to allow better and more cost-effective medium term planning and evaluation.”

More detail of our plans will be given at our Annual Conference on 3rd November, at which our new President Lord Sharman of Redlynch will set out his vision for Gamcare. Neil Goulden, Chairman of GREaT, and Dominic Harrison, Chief Executive of Business in Sport and Leisure will also address the conference.

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Press contact:

James McLarin, GamCare, 020 7801 7027, james.mclarin@gamcare.org.uk

Notes for editors

GamCare

  1. GamCare is the national provider of education, advice, practical help, support and treatment for anyone affected by problem gambling. Founded in 1997, the GamCare helpline receives nearly 1000 calls per week with 85% of clients rating the service as “very good” or “excellent”. In 2010/11 we treated more than 2,600 clients. 90% of gamblers in treatment are assessed as problem gamblers; this reduces to around 30% at the end of treatment. GamCare’s return on investment is very high at 7:1.

  2. The majority of GamCare’s funding is from voluntary contributions from the gambling industry collected by The GREaT Foundation. The GREaT Foundation has conducted contract negotiations with GamCare for helpline and treatment services at the request of the Responsible Gambling Fund following the latter’s decision to terminate its contract with The GREaT Foundation from end March 2012. For more information in GamCare’s work and how it is funded visit http://www.gamcare.org.uk/pages/faqs.html.

 

  1. GamCare supports best practice within the gambling industry through training, GamCare Certification and consultation. GamCare Certification is an internationally recognised third party accreditation available for gaming, betting and lottery products across land-based, mobile gaming and internet platforms. Key people within the organisation who have responsibility for policy and procedures, and those who have contact with the customer, must receive training in social responsibility and problem gambling awareness. GamCare training is face-to-face or via GamCare ExTra e-learning. Certification is reviewed annually and training must be refreshed annually.

The GREaT Foundation

 

  1. The GREaT Foundation, formerly known as Responsibility in Gambling Trust (RIGT), was established in 2002 as the gambling industry’s charity responsible for tackling problem gambling through the funding and commissioning of research, education and treatment from voluntary donations. 

 

  1. In June 2009, following a restructuring of the charity, RIGT was renamed The GREaT Foundation and returned to its original perceived function solely of raising funds for research, education and treatment of problem gambling. 

 

  1. In July 2011 the Responsible Gambling Fund, the charity responsible for distributing funds for gambling research, education and treatment, announced its decision to terminate its funding agreement with The GREaT Foundation as of 31 March 2012. 

 

  1. In August 2011 The GREaT Foundation agreed with the Responsible Gambling Fund to step in and conclude negotiations with GamCare regarding the funding of a national gambling helpline and the provision of treatment services. 

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