The United Kingdom has long been one of the bastions of gambling. Not only that, but the nation has strong traditions. One of the world’s best-established bodies that prevent gambling addiction, GambleAwarehas decided to yet again step up its game.
GambleAware, the UK-based charity fighting gambling addiction is now crafting a new ad campaign to further boost the awareness for gambling and the problems it entails. It has been a most surprising turn of events with quite a fair handful of people becoming problem gamblers despite the strong opposition and widespread charities the United Kingdom has put in place.
On Friday, June 29, GambleAwae announced that it’s appointing M&C Saatchi, an advertising agency to work on a new ad campaign on a $8.5 million budget. The ad will focus specifically on all risk gamblers across the country, hoping that it will help them reverse from a risk-group back to normal games who can manage their habits.
M&C Saatchi on Board
M&C Saatchi has been quite well-versed in carrying out campaigns that have to do with public health. They have an efficient public pitch which has driven results elsewhere and the company seems particularly well-equipped to face the thorny issue of problem gambling.
But GambleAware is not leaving anything to chance. On the contrary, the charity has appointed a new advisory board to supervise the whole campaign and to pitch in suggestions where it sees fit. Not only that, but GambleAware and M&C will both seek additional input from established sector leaders, including problem gamblers and treatment organizations.
Atlas to Shoulder the Burden
However, GambleAware knows that this is a massive campaign and it would not let M&C going it alone. GambleAware has requested help from its existing communications agency, Atlas Partners to elaborate and deploy a complementary campaign that supports M&C Saatchi’s fight.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom has been stepping up its efforts to curb reckless gambling amid a potent rise in the percentage of gamers at risk or already falling prey to backwards practices. The “When The Fun Stops, Stop” campaign has managed to reach almost all of the gambling population of the UK.
However, while particularly efficient at targeting and adding people, it has not necessarily been effective in curbing the practices that are so destructive. With this in mind, charities still have a lot to do.
To assume that addiction can simply be brushed off is erroneous, to say the least. Meanwhile, a new gambling behavior survey commissioned in the UK has indicated that the number of problem gamblers fell down to 3.9%. Even then, there’s been a number of reports that the numbers are stilted and the people giving the answers are more likely to be affluent and educated punters, meaning the risk groups don’t really participate in this kind of survey.
However, the UK has been one of the brightest examples of how gambling and sports betting can co-exist in a country which endorses them but also remains painfully aware of the potential dangers they bring along with themselves.
