SBC News GamCare teams up with financial services to launch safer gambling toolkit

GamCare teams up with financial services to launch safer gambling toolkit

GamCare has launched a new toolkit for financial institutions, gambling businesses and debt advice agencies across the UK to offer further support for customers experiencing gambling-related harms.

Available for free on the GamCare website, the toolkit will feature tailored materials on banking, debt advice and gambling treatment sectors, as well as gambling businesses.

Anna Hemmings, CEO at GamCare, commented: “People struggling with gambling present in different ways and often opportunities are missed to provide the support they need. Ensuring that frontline staff are equipped to help and refer to appropriate support is a huge step in improving the outcomes these customers experience.

“This toolkit, with the support of businesses, charities and gambling operators themselves, is vital to putting those pathways in place.”

Tools will also include core customer messaging, referral pathway guidelines tailored to each sector, and guidance on training staff to aid customers impacted by gambling harms, to help users recognise, support and refer customers to the relevant support services.

Frankie Graham, CEO at Betknowmore UK, added: “Gambling-related financial harms have serious consequences for the gambler as well as those with a financial connection to them. The mismanagement of finances can trigger a cluster of problematic issues; from prevention of everyday functions, such as paying bills, to onset of mental health challenges, such as stress and anxiety.

“We can start to address these harms through cross sector collaboration and sharing our expertise. Betknowmore UK is delighted to support this programme, and recommend the accompanying resources as essential tools in achieving our mutual goal, which is to keep people safe and free from gambling harms.”

The new features will mark the first time that representatives from across these industries have come together ‘to address gambling related financial harms in a unified way’.

GamCare’s toolkit forms part of the charity’s key objective of raising awareness and knowledge of gambling harms and addictive behaviours within working environments. This September GamCare announced that it would open its consultation to business HR teams seeking advice on problem gambling support.

Maxine Pritchard, HSBC UK’s Head of Financial Inclusion and Vulnerability, concluded: “We know this is a challenging time for many of our customers, with those who are struggling with gambling being particularly vulnerable.

“We are proud to have collaborated across multiple industries to develop this toolkit which will help ensure we can use it as part of the training we provide our colleagues, as well as building it into our internal procedures.

“We have already put in place a number of measures to help those affected by gambling, and this toolkit is another positive step to supporting those at risk of financial harm from gambling. We will continue to look at ways in which we can support customers with gambling addictions.”

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