When Coinslot was initially asked to report on the Gambling Review delay, there was one group the industry figures insisted on the publication reaching out to – the gambling support charities. Odd really. It seems the industry is more concerned about the third sector’s survival than those that talk about their importance … and yet currently do little about it. The charities are operating under an existential threat – there’s no money in the offing to support their services. The Gambling Review delay is taking its toll on the charity sector. YGAM’s Ian Shanahan talks Coinslot through some of the issues his progressive charity is facing.
Coinslot: What impact is the delay in the Gambling Review having on gambling support charities?
Ian Shanahan: It’s no secret that the ongoing delay in implementing the Gambling White Paper has left charities operating in an uncertain environment, with no clear timeline in sight.
Without the White Paper, there is little indication of where sustainable, long-term funding will come from.
The uncertainty may also have left donors hesitant to commit to future funding, especially with the potential impact of the proposed levy. To an extent, this hampers our ability to plan for the long term, but despite these challenges, we continue to deliver on our mission effectively.
However, the uncertainty consumes valuable time and resources that would be better spent safeguarding children and young people.
The lack of communication from policymakers forces charities to focus on the short term. With clarity on the future of secure funding, charities like Ygam could concentrate on their core mission instead of continually facing fundraising challenges.
Coinslot: Can you highlight some of the practical implications your charity is facing as a result of the delay in the Review – notably on investment for support programmes, development plans, staff engagement and player support?
Ian Shanahan:While the ongoing uncertainty has been challenging, Ygam has been fortunate to receive interim funding from GambleAware through their System Stabilisation Fund for most of our programmes, allowing us to maintain the high-quality delivery.
In this period of uncertainty, our priority is to sustain our current level of delivery, whilst looking both within and outside the gambling sector to provide funding to support the expansion of our services to meet increasing demand.
However, as demand for our work continues to grow, particularly in the broader areas of online safety, we have a strategic goal to diversify and expand our funding streams in order to secure stable, long-term financial support.
There is still a great deal of innovation and creativity taking place, and this would only increase – benefiting not just our beneficiaries but the entire sector – if the current insecurity were lifted.
Coinslot: Once the Review is finally launched, what timeframe are we looking at before your charity and its partners can start rolling out the new programmes?
Ian Shanahan: Ygam is now entering the third year of our strategy, ‘Safeguarding Our Digital Generation’, and we’re already preparing for the next three years.
As a leader in the sector, we have well-established work streams and strategic plans for growth, increased reach, and greater impact.
Collaboration has been key to our success, and while our commitment to partnerships remains strong regardless of the status of the Gambling White Paper, we hope that the White Paper will act as a catalyst to bring organisations together and unlock funding that supports long-term planning.
This would allow organisations to align their roles and work collectively toward shared goals.
Ygam is well-prepared and ready, with exciting plans and evolving programmes designed to meet the growing demand. We continue to welcome donations from organisations that share our commitment to preventing gambling harms and safeguarding children and young people.
