The Charity Commission has closed its case into GambleAware after being assured that the charity was taking appropriate steps to ensure its independence from the gambling industry.
In March, the Commission opened a compliance case into GambleAware after a Good Law Project (GLP)-backed campaign threatened legal action if the regulator refused to investigate concerns about the charity’s funding.
The campaigners had questioned the charity’s claim to be independent from the gambling industry, which funds it through donations.
A Commission spokesperson said: “In March, following an assessment of concerns raised with us, the Commission opened a regulatory compliance case into GambleAware. We have engaged with the charity's trustees about the concerns raised.
“We received the necessary assurance that the trustees have been handling matters as we would expect including taking appropriate steps to ensure its independence from the gambling industry.
“The trustees have satisfied the Commission that they have the right processes in place to ensure they are furthering their purposes.
“We issued the trustees with advice and have concluded our case.”
GambleAware welcomes case closure
GambleAware is currently funded by voluntary donations from the gambling industry.
This funding arrangement was set up by the UK government, and GambleAware’s website states it has long called for change to this model.
A consultation on a statutory levy on gambling operators closed last year, which the charity welcomed.
GambleAware chief executive Zoë Osmond welcomed the Commission’s decision to close its case.
“The Charity Commission has informed us of their decision to close its case without criticism of, or findings against, GambleAware,” she said.
“They stated that they are ‘assured that the trustees have taken appropriate steps to both ensure [GambleAware’s] independence from the gambling industry and confirmed that it is ‘satisfied that the charity’s reliance on industry funding does not impact on decision-making about its activities’.
“Our organisation is wholly dedicated to advancing our charitable purposes for the public benefit and we are proud of our achievements. We continue our work to prevent gambling harm and provide vital support to those affected.
“These include the commissioning of impactful gambling harm prevention programmes and treatment services through the National Gambling Support Network.”
GLP: Charity should ‘hold industry to account’
GLP campaigns manager Hannah Greer said: “The Charity Commission’s assurance that GambleAware’s industry funding does not impact on decisions about its activities is at odds with the NHS, which has refused to accept funding from GambleAware for their gambling harm treatment clinics since 2022.
“If GambleAware was really acting in the public interest, it would stop parroting the industry line that the way to tackle gambling harm is through self-restraint.
“A gambling charity committed to helping people and holding the industry to account should be shining a light on the gambling companies’ predatory tactics and highlighting the fact that 60% of profits come from the 5% of customers classified as ‘problem gamblers’ or ‘at risk’.”
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