Responsible Gambling Trust UK to Fund Harm Minimization Programs

The Responsible Gambling Trust UK (RGT) will provide grant funding of £580,000 ($886,500) for supporting five gambling-related harm minimization projects, according to their tender issued for new research last month. This two year long program will be part of the RGT’s steps to combat gambling-related harm in the UK.

The project will concentrate on offering advice and education to vulnerable ones such as the young and the homeless for reducing the impact of gambling-related harm. Each project may be delivered nationally, making partnerships with local entities e.g. public bodies and charitable organizations.

Among the three projects, two will develop curriculum-based materials and interventions for use in secondary schools and another will consider the best ways for screening gambling problems and will provide brief advising to homelessness services.

The Professional Players’ Federation will give lead to a program of education for sportspeople to raise awareness about gambling-related harm. The Citizens Advice Bureau will deliver a program to raise awareness as well.

This latest round of funding will build on a pilot of harm minimization programs arranged by organizations in the UK that ended in March, besides future projects to address gambling-related harm in both the military and the criminal justice system.

“RGT is keen to promote an integrated and holistic prevention and treatment landscape for those suffering gambling-related harm in Great Britain,” said Marc Etches, CEO of the RGT. “Underpinned by the National Gambling Helpline, an effective and integrated response to gambling-related harm includes awareness-raising and early harm prevention work, particularly among young people and other vulnerable populations, alongside the various counseling and treatment services RGT already funds,” he added, “We are committed to funding effective harm minimization programs and are delighted to be funding these innovative and practical proposals which have the potential for sustainable national impact.”