Gamble Aware

Author: Ryan D. Jaeger

Gamble Aware is a UK facing website that is managed by the Responsibility in Gambling Trust, an independent charity that funds the treatment, research and education of responsible gambling.

Gamble Aware is a joint effort by a number of interest groups who took it upon themselves to develop the site. These include members of a task force representing the following:

• The UK Gambling Commission
• The Anglia Ruskin University
• Business in Sport and Leisure
• BACTA (British Amusement Catering Association)
• The Department for Culture, Media and Sport
• The Department of Health
• GamCare
• Lancaster University
• The National Lottery Commission
• The National Consumer Council
• The University of Glasgow
• The University of Salford
• Responsibility in Gambling Trust (RIGT)

The general aim of the site is to bring all the relevant information to the reader's fingertips without being judgmental and to educate about good gambling habits.

The Gamble Aware site provides standard gamblers, problem gamblers and their family members, as well as those interested in problem gambling, with a one stop shop for all their needs and assistance. The site is organized in a user friendly manner and is written in easy-to-read English so that the information can be retrieved quickly and simply.

The home page takes readers to different links on the page and also provides a search engine to find information quicker. The GamCare toll free number is also provided on the page.

Readers are explained how gambling works and are taught terms such as 'house edge' and 'average return to player'. They are taught to tell the difference between games of chance and games of skill and to identify all types of gambling by their risk factor.

The Responsible Gambling section on the site teaches gamblers how to play at casinos in a responsible way. They are taught about time management through the use of a diary, are provided with a money management planner and are provided with tips by gambling peers about responsible gambling.

The Gamble Aware site teaches readers about customer protection laws as introduced by the Gambling Commission under the Gambling Act of 2005.

Readers are taught to recognize a gambling problem, including the first signs, and are provided with a self assessment test where the answers may provide some guidance. All answers are kept strictly confidential.

For those who have already identified a problem, the Gamble Aware site provides several sources of assistance and potential solutions, including links to self exclusion, gambling advice, financial advice and other sources of advice.

Finally, other useful links are provided at the site, such as Gamblers Anonymous, Citizens Advice, Gam Anon and others.