TalkBanStop campaign secures one-year extension thanks to funding boost

London, UK – Thursday 27^th January – TalkBanStop – a partnership between GamCare, Gamban, and GAMSTOP – has secured funding for a further year and will continue to provide free tools and support for people struggling with their gambling.

The partnership, initially a 12-month pilot programme, has received the additional funding from a regulatory settlement approved by the Gambling Commission which will see the partnership and evaluation extended until March 2023. Since the pilot launched, the partnership has contributed to over 7,000 registrations of Gamban’s blocking software.

The funds will be allocated towards the provision of free blocking software licences from Gamban and increased marketing of free practical tools and support available.  The three organisations will also be looking to secure further long-term funding for the partnership.

TalkBanStop brings together practical free tools and support which can help people maintain a successful recovery for anyone harmed by gambling. It offers a combination of personal support via GamCare’s trained advisers, free access to Gamban blocking software and signposting to the GAMSTOP self exclusion scheme, and proactive, consistent signposting to promote the layering of tools and support across all three organisations websites.

Early research on the partnership conducted by Ipsos Mori last year highlighted that people who had made use of all layers of support had reported a reduction of gambling-related harms, whilst many perceived the tools as significant barriers to accessing gambling sites, resulting in reduced urges to gamble and increased motivation to stop gambling.*

One evaluation case study participant said: “The fact that I’ve used that service [GAMSTOP] with the blocking software and the counselling has given me three big pillars to stand on. I can’t do it anyway on my phone, and I’m getting it in my mindset through the counselling that I don’t want to do it and that I’m changing my behaviours towards it.”

With the extension of an additional year, GamCare, Gamban and GAMSTOP will continue working to increase awareness of the partnership among those who need it most. The organisations will also continue to share best-practice with one another, ensuring efforts to enhance the joint offering of easy, free access to all three services.

Anna Hemmings, Chief Executive at GamCare, commented: “TalkBanStop is a partnership that makes enormous sense for anyone harmed by online gambling, and an excellent example of organisations coming together whose services provide an important first step for people wanting to stop gambling. Since the partnership started there has been huge value in pooling our expertise together as organisations, creating an offering that people can use easily and freely to kickstart their recovery.

“We have heard from people supported by TalkBanStop how the impact of our interventions, layered together, can amplify the impact for their recovery. That’s why it’s important there is no break in the free availability of all three layers of support. Going forward, we are looking to continue building on the successes of the past year and work towards our shared aspiration of reducing gambling-related harms.”

TalkBanStop

• Three leading organisations have come together to offer a free combination of:
  • Talk: Speak to one of GamCare’s trained Advisers on the National Gambling Helpline (over the phone or via live chat) to access expert information, advice and support at www.talkbanstop.com 
  • Ban: Callers to the National Gambling Helpline will be offered a free Gamban blocking software licence with up to 5 years of protection, normally costing almost £125, which can be installed on up to 15 devices (phones, tablets and laptops/PCs). 
  • Stop: Register with GAMSTOP free self-exclusion and be signposted to the National Gambling Helpline and Gamban. 

 

2. This partnership, between GamCare, GAMSTOP and Gamban, was initially partly funded by a regulatory settlement approved by the Gambling Commission for 12 months as a pilot programme. An additional 12 months of funding has been approved for the partnership to continue following the first year.
3. Gamblers will be able to choose a free Gamban licence to block their devices for between 6 months and five years, which can match their period of self-exclusion via GAMSTOP. GAMSTOP remains free for as long as users need it.

About GamCare

• GamCare operates the National Gambling Helpline on Freephone 0808 8020 133 or via web chat at www.gamcare.org.uk, providing information, advice and support for anyone affected by problem gambling, funded by GambleAware. Advisers are available 24/7, every day of the year. 
• GamCare provides a range of free treatment and support services to anyone affected by gambling harms across England, Scotland, Wales, as well as a moderated online Forum and daily chatrooms so that people can speak to others experiencing similar issues and seek support. Find out more at www.gamcare.org.uk 
• GamCare is part of the National Gambling Treatment Service, funded by GambleAware.

About Gamban

• Gamban is designed to prevent access to gambling sites and apps on devices. When the software is downloaded it will stop gambling apps from working and will prevent web browsers from accessing gambling sites. Gamban is as difficult to remove by the user as the respective operating systems will allow.
• In 2018, GambleAware commissioned independent research to evaluate the effectiveness of blocking software and to compare existing products. Gamban emerged the most effective. Gamban was also awarded Software Rising Star Award at the EGR B2B Awards in 2018, and in 2019 won RegTech Provider of the Year at The Gambling Compliance Global Regulatory Awards.

About GAMSTOP

• GAMSTOP is an online self-exclusion scheme, operated by the National Online Self-Exclusion Scheme Ltd, an independent not-for-profit company. 
• From March 31st, 2020 it has been a licensing condition for all online gambling operators to be members of GAMSTOP and anyone who registers with the scheme will be able to exclude themselves from all online gambling sites licensed in Great Britain. The first phase of the scheme launched in April 2018. 
• GAMSTOP is a free service available to all consumers resident within the United Kingdom. Users choose to exclude themselves from all online gambling sites for a specified period and once that minimum period has elapsed they remain self-excluded unless they return to GAMSTOP to ask to be removed and complete the process to end their self-exclusion. Over 268,000 people have registered with GAMSTOP so far.