Be aware

On Wednesday 29 November The Remote Gambling Association is leading a Responsible Gambling Awareness Day to highlight the importance of gambling responsibly and to raise the profile of the measures and services that are available to help remote gamblers that might develop problems.

The Day is being supported by RGA’s members with some of the industry’s biggest names amongst those undertaking awareness raising activities on the day. As well as carrying responsible gambling information online, operators will directly communicate with their customers, add notification pop-ups to their sites, undertake fundraising events and devote their national media advertising to the Day.

For the vast majority of people, gambling is a safe, harmless entertainment and leisure activity, but the RGA’s members want all of their customers to gamble responsibly, to gamble within their means and to be aware of the advice and information available which can prevent irresponsible gambling.

RGA Chairman and Director of Betting and Gaming for Skybet, Nick Rust, said: “We are delighted to have organizations like the Responsibility in Gambling Trust (RIGT), Gamcare, Gordon House, and APACS (the UK Payments Association) supporting this initiative as we need to work together to help the small minority of gamblers who might develop problems.

By encouraging responsible gambling and providing the right tools, support and information we can raise awareness of the signs of irresponsible gambling and help individuals to make the right choices for themselves at the right time.”

The Day is also being backed by Richard Caborn, Minister for Sport who commented that, “The Gambling Act 2005 puts a number of strict social responsibility requirements on remote gambling operators. Events like this are therefore integral to a range of measures that a socially responsible industry should be undertaking to help prevent problem gambling as well as inform people about the help available to them if they do develop a gambling problem."

The first Responsible Gambling Awareness Day also aims to highlight the range of activity already taking place on an ongoing basis to prevent and tackle irresponsible gambling and support organisations such as Gamcare, RIGT and Gordon House.

“No one could accuse our members of paying lip service to issues associated with responsible gambling,” said Clive Hawkswood, the RGA’s Chief Executive. They already abide voluntarily with our codes of practice on social responsibility and age verification and one of the main aims of the Awareness Day is to raise the profile amongst their customers of the self-help measures that are available on websites and the sources of specialist help should they ever need it. The day is not an end in itself, but part of an ongoing process.”