Entain and bet365 Lead GambleAware Donors List
UK charity GambleAware, which works to minimise the harm of gambling, has published information on the donations and pledges it received in the first three quarters of the 2022/2023 financial year. According to the comprehensive list of donations published by the charity, its two biggest benefactors are betting and gaming giants Entain and bet365.
GambleAware’s financial report shows that, between 01/04/2022 and 31/12/2022, the charity was the recipient of €15m (£13.2m). According to GambleAware, the financial information is being published for the purposes of full transparency of its financial position. As per current arrangements, the charity receives voluntary donations from bookmakers, casinos, betting sites, and other UK entities who profit from betting and online gaming.
On the other hand, the charity has pointed out that any fines or regulatory settlements that have been imposed since 1st April 2022 have not so far resulted in donations. Recent announcements by the UK Gambling Commissions revealed that several betting sites would be subjected to such fines, one example being the €6.9m (£6.1m) fine imposed on online casino gaming provider Intouch Games. As the majority of funds collected through regulatory fines and settlements are distributed amongst charities working towards the minimisation of gambling harm, it is likely that GambleAware may receive some donations as a result of them by the end of the financial year. As part of such settlements, licenced betting sites and operators can also offer to donate to causes such as GambleAware
According to GambleAware’s report, two of the largest UK betting operators, Entain and bet365, donated over 90.4% of its income. Entain’s donations amounted to almost €8m (£7m), and bet365 gave almost €5.6m (£4.9m) to the cause. All other bookmakers, betting sites, and entities profiting from the betting and gaming industry donated the remaining 9.6%. The charity points out that it asks everyone who profits from gambling to make a donation equal to a minimum of 0.1% of their Gross Gambling Yield (GGY). For anyone who makes less than £250,000 (€285,000), the charity recommends a donation of £250 (€285). Operators and betting sites have until 31/03/2023 to make their donations, and these will be reflected in the charity’s financial statement for the 2022/2023 financial year.
GambleAware does extremely important work for all bettors who may struggle with gambling. They operate a 24/7 National Gambling Helpline Freephone (0808 8020 133), and also a 24/7 live chat on their website. For those who do not want to speak to a person about their situation, the company has a lot of helpful information, advice, and resources that could help with improving one’s betting habits, engage in safer gambling, or even self-exclude from gambling altogether.
GambleAware also signposts bettors towards other available services and resources, one of the most important of which is GAMSTOP. With this free service, a bettor could self-exclude from all licenced UK betting sites for a period of 6 months, 1 year, or 5 years. The GAMSTOP website also provides some very useful information and practical advice on safer gambling and steps that can be taken to further minimise the risk of gambling.
It is not surprising that Entain and bet365 have topped the list. Both companies are fully committed to supporting any action that would make betting safe and responsible activity for everyone. Minimising gambling harm and protecting vulnerable customers is one of the priorities of both operators. While the Gambling Commission operates in the UK only, both Entain and bet365 cater for customers in Ireland through their betting sites.
Entain owns the brands Ladbrokes and Coral, which are some of the most popular betting sites in Ireland due to their impeccable customer service, market-leading features, and a large variety of betting markets. bet365 is also very popular in Ireland and internationally, and is one of the most use Irish betting sites. All three operators currently have excellent promotions and introductory offers for new customers which can be found on their respective review pages on the betfree.ie website by clicking the links above.
With the crucial work that GambleAware does to minimise any potential harm of gambling, Entain, bet365, and all other operators who made donations to the charity are to be commended for their commitment to making the betting industry a safer place for all. Industry experts will be curious to find out how much funding the charity will raise in the remaining two months of the financial year, and if any of it will come from the regulatory fines issued by the UK Gambling Commission.