SG Week fuels safer gambling spike

New figures released today by the UK’s Betting and Gaming Council show a huge rise in the use of safer gaming tools following Safer Gambling Week 2023.

According to BGC, the number of deposit limits set during SG Week 2023 increased by 18 per cent compared to the same month in 2022.

Meanwhile, 54 per cent of players setting deposit limits, did so for the first time. In addition, the number of players actively setting a reality check during SGW rose by over 300 per cent for the second year in a row.

SG Week 2023 also saw the use of maximum stake limits rise by more than 300 per cent, and set new records on social media, generating 50m impressions across Facebook, Instagram and X, formerly Twitter.

“These new figures show Safer Gambling Week continues to be a powerful advert for increasing use of safer gambling tools in the regulated industry,” said BGC CEO and acting chair Michael Dugher.

“Millions of customers now use safer gambling tools including deposit limits and time-outs. This is a pillar of the regulated industry and is in marked contrast to the unsafe, unregulated and growing online gambling black market, which provides no safer gambling support, contributes zero tax and does not support sport.

“Our members promote these tools all year round, but a single dedicated week, bringing together the whole sector alongside huge support from cross-party MPs, from the Government and the independent regulator the Gambling Commission, really turbocharges that work – and these figures show it makes a real difference.”

Safer Gambling Week 2024 will take place 18-24 November 2024.