Operators Pledge Strong Support For Responsible Gambling Week With Eye-Catching New Initiatives

LONDON, October 10^th - Responsible Gambling Week 2018 will be bigger and bolder than last year’s inaugural campaign, with operators announcing strong support for the event in the first week of November.

More than 127,000 staff at more than 11,000 gambling venues and online sites in the UK and Ireland will take part in Responsible Gambling Week, sparking a national conversation with customers and their friends and families about what it means to gamble responsibly.

All gambling operators have committed to the campaign, taking place from November 1-7, which is organised by the Industry Group For Responsible Gambling, and will promote consistent messages and branding in venues, online and on their social channels.

Several operators, suppliers and publishers have announced significant initiatives to ensure the campaign reaches the widest possible audience:

• JPJ Group is donating advertising space at key London Underground stations throughout Responsible Gambling Week
• Clarion Gaming is funding a targeted influencer engagement campaign to run on Instagram before and during the week
• Aspers, Mecca, William Hill and Cashino provided staff and venues for campaign imagery 
• Virgin Games mocked up its site for a Responsible Gambling Week ‘takeover’
• Genting staff are organising a wide range of charity fundraising events at their venues throughout Responsible Gambling Week
• Leading trade publications and online platforms are donating advertising space

Other operators will announce their own initiatives in the coming weeks and the event is supported by gambling charities, GambleAware, GamCare, and YGam (Young Gamblers Education Trust), and by the Gambling Commission.

Responsible Gambling Week now has its own website, https://responsiblegamblingweek.org/ which includes details of all companies and organisations who are supporting the campaign. Operators and supporters can download responsible gambling literature and other campaign materials from the site. Practical advice for customers is being shared on the campaign’s social channels @RGweek18 and the campaign hashtag is #RGWeek18.

John Hagan, Chairman of the Industry Group for Responsible Gambling, said:
“It is heartening to see the support of leading operators for Responsible Gambling Week. Our aim is to make the event bigger and better than last year and we are using the collective networks, venues and staff of all gambling sectors, and our digital channels, to reach a wider audience and raise awareness”.

Simon Wykes, CEO of Jackpotjoy Operations Ltd, said:

“JPJ Group plc fully supports Responsible Gambling Week. Preventing the harms associated with problem gambling is a shared goal among companies working in the gaming industry, and one of the most effective ways to ensure players gamble responsibly is to arm them with the information they need to make responsible choices.”

This year’s campaign includes Ireland for the first time, where it will be supported by more than 800 bookmakers, and by the Arcades Association, the Gaming and Leisure Association of Ireland, Horse Racing Ireland and the Irish Greyhound and Horse Racing Tote.

Sharon Boyne, Chairperson of the Irish Bookmakers Association, said:

“We are delighted to be partnering with the IGRG and joining their Responsible Gambling Week. Merging both campaigns can only help to increase the impact and reach of the campaign and ensure maximum coverage for the week”

About Responsible Gambling Week:

The theme of the week is ‘Let’s Talk About Responsible Gambling’ and practical advice will be shared through social media channels to ensure responsible gambling messages reach the widest possible audience.

The event is being organised by the Industry Group for Responsible Gambling (IGRG), which, through its member trade associations, covers online, amusement arcades, bingo clubs, bookmakers and casinos.

Among the activities taking place during the week is a responsible gambling training programme being run by the charities, GamCare and YGam (Young Gamblers Education Trust ) for teachers, university professionals and community workers who work with younger people.

At every gambling venue in the country, responsible gambling literature will be made available to customers, designed to trigger conversations about how to keep gambling fun and safe. Customers who need further help or information will be signposted to GambleAware, an independent charity which funds research, education and treatment, and is supporting Responsible Gambling Week.

ABOUT IGRG:

• Established in 2014, the IGRG promotes socially responsible gambling within the British gambling industry, in support of the three licensing objectives in the Gambling Act 2005.
• The IGRG comprises the Association of British Bookmakers (ABB); British Amusement Machine Association (BACTA); The Bingo Association (BA); National Casino Forum (NCF); and Remote Gambling Association (RGA).
• IGRG’s member associations represent some 640 operators and 8,500 licensed premises, reflecting the spectrum of gambling businesses.
• www.igrg.uk