The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has announced that its members have donated £172.5m ($222.73m) to combat problem gambling and gambling-related harm over a four-year period.
This funding includes £122.5m contributed by major operators such as Flutter, Entain, bet365 and Evoke (888/William Hill) – surpassing their initial pledge of £100m between 2020 and March 2024.
As a percentage of gross gaming revenue during that time, this figure perhaps stands in lesser stead.
The increase in funding supports Research, Prevention, and Treatment (RPT) initiatives predominantly managed by the independent charity GambleAware.
Additionally, BGC members have funded the £10m Young People’s Gambling Harm Prevention Programme, led by YGAM and GamCare, reaching over two million individuals aged 11 to 19 in the UK.
Combined with annual contributions from other BGC members and UK-regulated licensees, the total donation amount over the last four years has reached approximately £172.5m.
Commenting on this, Wes Himes, BGC Executive Director of Standards and Innovation, stated: “While this voluntary levy has delivered record funding, the BGC supports the replacement of the current levy scheme with a mandatory one, but the delivery of this new scheme must ensure future funding security for the third sector which is delivering such excellent work.
“As we go forward, this huge investment will continue, underlining this sector’s unrivalled commitment to responsible betting and gaming.”
