Yesterday’s Super Sunday clash between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford, saw GambleAware launch its new gambling-harm awareness campaign ‘Bet Regret’.
The campaign is the first in which GambleAware has developed under the guidance of London agency M&C Saatchi, the firm which in 2018 was appointed to lead the charity’s new messaging and creative direction on safer gambling.
Iain Corby Deputy Chief Executive revealed to InsiderSport that so far feedback on the campaign has been positive, adding: “We were pleased to secure cross-party support, with politicians from Labour, the SNP and the Liberal Democrats joining the Minister in welcoming the ads.
“Some do question whether an advertising campaign can make a difference, and we will be rigorously assessing the impact of the initiative and will publish the findings when the independent evaluation is conducted at the end of the first year of the campaign.”
He went onto detail that there are future plans for the expansion of the campaign: “There are three ads already produced, but this is at least a two year campaign so will evolve as we review feedback and the campaign evolves accordingly.”
The charity emphasised that Bet Regret’s lead message targets an audience estimated at 2.4 million men aged 16-34, who gamble regularly on sport, mainly through online verticals.
When asked whether the funding for the campaign could have been utilised in a more beneficial way, Corby stated: “The money to fund this campaign is in the form of a “restricted” donation for this purpose, so we do not have the option to spend it on other activities.
“That said, we are currently planning to spend £15m this year and next on our other research, education and treatment services, well above the income we raise from the voluntary levy system which has been augmented by the receipt of funds from voluntary settlements from gambling operators who have breached licence conditions.”
