The regulated betting and gaming industry is joining forces once again for Safer Gambling Week 2022.

This year’s Safer Gambling Week event will run from October 17 to 23 and will see the whole industry coming together in a concerted effort to further promote safer gambling messages, the tools available to customers to stay in control and the help and support available to those who champion higher standards.

The Safer Gambling Week campaign, organised by the BGC, BACTA, the Lotteries Council and the Bingo Association, is now in its fifth year and this year’s event will see a blitz of safer gambling messages both online and in land-based venues, to spark a nationwide conversation about betting responsibly.

The annual campaign will build upon the record-breaking Safer Gambling Week 2021 during which the promotion and awareness of safer gambling tools such as deposit limits led to an increase by 17% in their use vs. the previous 4-week average.

The number of social media impressions for Safer Gambling Week 2021 – hit 24.5 million, an increase of 16% on the previous year. And sessions on the Safer Gambling website in 2021 were 79% up on the previous year.

Regulated betting and gaming operators already work tirelessly all year round to promote safer gambling, including by encouraging deposit limits and time-outs, as well as directing customers to the range of self-exclusion services that exist.

Safer Gambling Week provides an opportunity to go even further by encouraging businesses and organisations to start a conversation, not only with staff and customers, but also with their friends and family.

This year’s event will see a blitz of safer gambling messages both online and in land-based venues, sparking a nationwide conversation on how to bet responsibly.

A recent Gambling Commission report showed that the problem gambling rate in the year to March 2022 was 0.2% – down from 0.4% the year previous and down from 0.3% in the last published annualised figures in February 2022.

Michael Dugher, Chief Executive of the BGC, said: “Safer Gambling Week is now an established annual event. We know that rates of problem gambling are low and are now falling, which is great news, but Safer Gambling Week is further evidence of the regulated industry’s determination to keep raising standards.

“BGC members demonstrate their commitment to safer gambling every day through initiatives such as the whistle to whistle ban on TV betting commercials during live sport and strict ID and age verification checks.

“Safer Gambling Week is a great opportunity to highlight this fantastic work – and emphasises the difference between the regulated industry and the unlicensed and illegal online black market, which has none of the safeguards which are commonplace among our members.”

Miles Baron, Chief Executive of the Bingo Association, said: “Safer Gambling Week is an important part of the bingo industry’s commitment to social responsibility and provides a useful focal point for highlighting activity and support that is available throughout the year. As venue-based businesses, the sector recognises the important opportunity we have to promote safer gambling messages and engage directly with customers.”

John White, Chief Executive of BACTA, said: “Safer Gambling Week once again allows the industry to showcase its year-long commitment to safer gambling. It also brings customer focus to the tools that are available to them if they in anyway feel their gambling is becoming problematic. Those tools continue to grow as we learn more about safer gambling and form part of our ambition to cement social responsibility at the heart of our offer to the consumer.”