GambleAware Initiates First Female-Focused National Campaign

British charity GambleAware has launched a real first; its National Gambling Treatment Service initiative focused purely on women.

GambleAware, a wholly independent body, sets out framework agreements with the Gambling Commission in order to deliver the National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms. This has spotted another gap in our learning which is to make a fully female-focused campaign.

Campaign Runs Across All Media Until Late March

The new campaign will run up until the end of March, promoting as it goes along the treatment and support of gambling harms. As well as this, it aims to promote awareness of the support needed by women as well as to highlight them to the National Gambling Treatment Service.

The campaign will raise awareness over the next six weeks or so via radio broadcasts, national magazines, and across all digital media targeting females aged 18-54, said to be the group of highest concern.

According to those at GambleAware, the campaign has been designed to respond to recent research on women by the industry concerning gambling-related harm. A YouGov report, backed by GambleAware, has found that around 10% of women in the UK do experience gambling harm, yet it is felt they are ignored when it comes to finding a solution.

GambleAware Looking to Improve on Previous Success

A female-focused campaign was run once before by GambleAware, and those at the charity feel its success means it can be repeated and improved upon.

The perceived success of the previous campaign has led to GambleAware agreeing now to continue what they see as a targeted approach to ensure that women are not overlooked when it comes to reducing gambling-related harm.

The charity recognises that everybody needs awareness raised, as well as to have access to gambling treatment and support, though women have not always recognised other campaigns in the industry as relating to them, and so some targeting is required, which has to be a good thing.

Findings from the recent YouGov report appear to have highlighted a recent increase in women suffering from gambling harm. So GambleAware’s campaign, it is hoped, will help recognise those experiencing harm to get the help that is already available.

GambleAware Working with Expert Link

The timing of this campaign is particularly prevalent. Its launch comes after GambleAware officially linked up last week with Expert Link. This research organisation is working on designing and producing a nationwide network featuring people with what is being called “lived experience” of gambling-related harm.

Expert Link aims to design and implement an independent network that aims to work right around the UK and represent the entire population, focusing on diversity, inclusion, and equality.

As well as this, the Gambling Commission has also recently formed working groups featuring those with lived experience to help the government’s official Gambling Review, aiming to bring the Gambling Act in line with modern habits, which include betting via mobile phone.

This new campaign is very much needed. While within the gambling industry, it is a constant source of irritation that those who control their gambling and use skill to decide on bets, such as those betting on horse racing, are subject to the same reputation and restrictions as those who gamble heavily on lotteries and bingo.

These areas are heavily female-focused themselves, and so those getting into trouble should indeed be targeting by those looking to help.