GVC tops GambleAware funding pledges in first half

Problem gambling funding body GambleAware has revealed that GVC Holdings topped its list of pledges for the six months to 30 September 2019, with the Ladbrokes Coral owner committing a total of £1.46m (€1.69m/$1.86m) during the period.

William Hill pledged £1m, while Bet365 donated £868,000 and Rank Group-owned Grosvenor Casinos made separate donations from across its online and land-based business amounting to £166,300. Together with its Mecca Bingo business, Rank donated £284,540 in the first half of the financial year.

Betway committed £153,500 to the organisation in the first half, while BetVictor, Playtech and Praesepe Holdings all pledged over £100,000.

Total money pledged to and received by GambleAware in voluntary donations during the period came in at £5.4m. The organisation noted that this figure did not include regulatory settlements and additional donations.

GambleAware currently requests all businesses that profit from gambling in the British market donate a minimum of 0.1% of their annual gross gambling yield (GGY) directly to the organisation each year.

For operators and businesses with an annual gross gambling revenue of less than £250,000 per annum, GambleAware requests that they donate a minimum of £250.

GVC’s pledge of £1.46m matches its total donation for the 2018-19 financial year, with William Hill having also donated £1m last year.

For the 2018-19 financial year, voluntary donations amounted to £9.6m, which was short of the £10m that trustees of the problem gambling charity had asked of the market.

However, in June five of the UK’s leading sports betting operators voluntarily agreed to increase funding for problem gambling treatment and safer gambling.

William Hill, GVC Holdings, Flutter Entertainment (formerly Paddy Power Betfair), The Stars Group-owned Sky Betting & Gaming and bet365 agreed to increase their voluntary contribution from 0.1% to 1% of gross gaming yield in no more than five years.