GambleAware, a charity in the UK dedicated to research, prevention and treatment services for people impacted by gambling harm and problem gambling, released its newest report, revealing data regarding the donations it received for the first quarter of the fiscal year 2023-24. Judging by the report, released Wednesday, the charity received a total of £430,813 ($556,800) in donations for the period between April 1 and June 30, 2023.

A breakdown of that figure showed that GambleAware received £317,099 ($410,000) in Research, Education and Treatment (RET) contributions from licensed gambling operators. On the other hand, non-RET donations for the period received by the charity were £113,714 ($146,900). Those contributions included funds from dormant gambling accounts and unclaimed winnings, explains GambleAware.

The charity’s latest report reveals that the average donation for Q1 of the fiscal year 2023-24 was £2,757 ($3,570). A Comparison of that number year-over-year shows a decrease of 9% when it comes to RET contributions. Additionally, GambleAware noted that the largest gambling operators in the country haven’t made donations for the first quarter of 2023/24 but explained that this is in line with the operators’ policies to pay RET contributions near the end of the fiscal year after they undergo an assessment of their gross gaming yield (GGY).

The report outlining the donations for Q1 comes after recently, the charity confirmed it added new members to its Lived Experience Council. Previously, GambleAware confirmed that the Council would consist of a total of 12 members and earlier this month, it added three new members who have experienced gambling harm firsthand.

Statutory Levy May Replace Voluntary Donations Scheme

Currently, the established regulatory framework in the UK requires operators that profit from gambling activities to make voluntary RET donations. The UK charity encourages operators to donate a minimum of 0.1% from their GGY on a yearly basis, while operators that make less than £250,000 ($323,000) are asked to donate a minimum of £250 ($323).

In that line of thought, the four biggest gambling operators in the UK showed support to contribute with a higher percentage of their GGY, donating not 0.1% but 1% on GGY by 2024. To ensure that the voluntary donations are transparent, GambleAware releases quarterly reports about such contributions.

The recently released Gambling White Paper in the UK unveiled plans for a statutory levy on the gambling industry, a change that may replace the current voluntary donations scheme. Ultimately, the new statutory levy seeks to boost RET donations, which in turn is expected to benefit the research, treatment and prevention of gambling harm. The proposal was praised by GambleAware, as well as NHS England. In its recent report, the charity said that it is looking forward to the swift implementation of the proposed statutory levy outlined within the Gambling White Paper.

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