GamCare seeks lived experience trustee to amplify support services

GamCare has initiated a search for a new trustee to expand its reach ahead of major regulatory changes and amidst a deluge of financial penalties against UK gambling firms.

The gambling harm prevention and support charity which operates the National Gambling Helpline is searching for a new trustee to join its board, specifically seeking a candidate with lived experience.

Additional attributes in GamCare’s ideal candidate include in-depth knowledge and experience of either public affairs, regulation, organisational change and development or clinical expertise ‘in a related field’.

As well as targeting an expansion of its operational scope and reach, GamCare is also seeking to ‘broaden the diversity’ of its board to improve its decision-making and governance, detailing a desire to maintain momentum on three years of growth since Anna Hemmings took the reins as CEO.

“This is, therefore, a particularly exciting time to join us as we further expand our reach, influence and services. We have developed an international reputation for our work’s innovative approach and impact,” the organisation explained.

“As gambling behaviours change, technology evolves, and access to gambling increases, we need to remain at the forefront of supporting everyone who experiences gambling harm with their recovery. 

“How we use our knowledge, insight and expertise to influence change at all levels remains a key theme for us, and you will be joining an ambitious board focused on achieving meaningful impact for all those affected by gambling harms.”

The trustee hunt comes as UK gambling stakeholders await the outcome of the Gambling Act review, with the White Paper apparently due for publication in the coming weeks after 18 months in the political pipeline and several delays since the Spring. 

Additionally, the search occurs amid a range of financial penalties handed out by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) to PLC operators active in the market. 

Spreadex and Entain are the latest operators to have fallen foul of the UKGC’s AML and social responsibility expectations – the latter company was charged a record £17m, a development which GamCare commented on.

Although the bulk of GamCare’s focus is on treatment – operating the National Gambling Treatment Service (NGST) – the organisation also has an industry standards division, which works with operators to promote best social responsibility practices. 

In its response to the UKGC enforcement action, Entain stressed that the breaches had occurred between 2019 and 2020, and since then it has received GamCare’s Advanced Safer Gambling Standard and implemented its Advanced Responsibility and Care (ARC) programme.

GamCare’s statement on the matter read: “The Safer Gambling Standard is an independent certification scheme that assesses the safer gambling measures which gambling businesses have put in place to protect people from experiencing gambling-related harm and to make gambling safer for everyone.

“Last week we were made aware of the regulatory settlement that the Entain Group received from the Gambling Commission. The failings published in the Gambling Commission’s statement, which was based on a review of customers in 2019 and 2020, took place ahead of our assessment with Entain for the Safer Gambling Standard in 2022.”