London, 3 May 2019: GambleAware has today published details of donations for the 12 months ending 31 March 2019. The total for voluntary donations is £9.6 million. While this is marginally more than in the previous 12 months, it remains below the minimum of £10 million that trustees had asked of the gambling industry. In addition, GambleAware has received £7.3 million in regulatory settlements. Taken together these monies are funding the delivery of our strategic priorities. GambleAware is at the forefront of commissioning a National Gambling Treatment Service, working with the NHS and others such as Citizens Advice to help direct people to the right intervention. However, less than three per cent of the reported number of problem gamblers access services currently so it is clear there is much more to be done in both raising awareness about this serious public health issue and commissioning more prevention and treatment services. Meeting our existing commitments will require a minimum of £10 million in the next 12 months ending 31 March 2020. However, trustees anticipate that our response to the National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms will require a significant step-up in funding from April 2020.
