The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) released fresh statistics after Safer Gambling Week in November 2024, which highlights a notable rise in the usage of responsible gambling tools within the regulated betting sector in the United Kingdom. This spike is quite remarkable and shows that there has been a change in consumer behavior and a greater interest in safer play programs.
There was a 22% rise over the previous year, with over 1.5 million unique player accounts using features like deposit limitations and time-outs since the campaign that ran from 18-24 November 2024. Almost half of the players who established deposit restrictions throughout the campaign were newcomers, according to the BGC.
Online engagement was also very high for the campaign. Across several social media sites, including X, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram, the initiative’s associated content garnered more than sixty million impressions, which represents a year-on-year growth of 21%.
The Safer Gambling Week website, which provided information on resources for responsible gaming and linked to external support agencies, had over half a million visits. In addition, there was a 10% increase from 2023 to 2024 in the number of safer gambling messages provided to customers directly via digital and retail channels, totaling 7.2 million.
Strong Backing for the Vision
As the gambling industry prepares for further regulatory changes, the success of Safer Gambling Week 2024 shows that sustained, collaborative efforts can deliver tangible results and strengthen public trust. The BGC, the Bingo Association, and Bacta jointly organised the initiative, which received strong backing from the government and key stakeholders within the gambling industry.
Andrew Rhodes, Chief Executive of the Gambling Commission, publicly supported the campaign, along with a cross-party group of MPs and peers, including Gambling Minister Baroness Twycross and Shadow Ministers Stuart Andrew and Louie French. Premier League football clubs such as Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, and Southampton further helped amplify the campaign’s message, extending its reach beyond the gambling sector.
The campaign’s results, pointed out by BGC CEO Grainne Hurst, demonstrated the importance of targeted awareness campaigns in promoting capabilities accessible exclusively in a regulated gaming environment. More players were effectively persuaded to use the extensive array of responsible gambling options by the campaign, she said.
Although encouraging safer gaming is a top priority all year long, Hurst pointed out that the industry as a whole, with the backing of regulators and the government, can show its dedication to improving industry standards during this special week.
