• GambleAware wants the National Lottery to focus on more responsible gambling messaging
• There is efficient messaging that the operator may be using even now
• The public agrees that the lottery could do more to help lessen gambling harm

GambleAware, one of the most prominent charities in the United Kingdom, has cautioned ministers that the National Lottery may need to do more to address problem gambling in the country. According to the charity, marketing materials by the National Lottery may still serve as a conduit for problem gambling.

The National Lottery can do better to lessen gambling harm

The charity argues that it could normalize gambling, specifically on the lottery, and two in five children see its products and advertising activities. GambleAware similarly objects that, in its opinion, children are being targeted with tailored tickets, such as "chocolate scented" scratch-and-sniff cards, Christmas scratchcards, and other similar products.

In a statement, GambleAware said: "The National Lottery’s reach among those experiencing gambling harm means it has a critical role to play in preventing and reducing gambling harm.

"This, alongside its popularity and public trust in its brand, means that measures taken by The National Lottery operator to improve signposting across its products and advertising could have a substantial positive impact."

The main point that GambleAware is also making here is that the lottery should not be regarded as a risk-free vertical as it has been previously but rather acknowledging the possible complications and negative impact that society and individuals may bear.

GambleAware has added that there is a specific link between being exposed to gambling early on, even passively, and then developing a more serious problem later in life. Around 600,000 people in the United Kingdom are experiencing gambling-related harm.

This sentiment is shared by the general public, which believes that the National Lottery can do more to ensure that it supports efforts to promote awareness of responsible gambling while lessening its impact. 74% of respondents to a survey involving 18,000 in fact backed the idea.

Change in messaging could help protect consumers

GambleAware is not asking the National Lottery to do much in the way of logistics, but just to figure out a way to implement stronger responsible gambling and safer gambling messaging in its products, which it believes would be enough.

GambleAware has already come up with suggested guidelines and even specific messaging that the charity says have proven to be effective and an efficient way to lessen gambling-related harm in the first place.

The messaging is not too glaring either, with the charity balancing it well, and including such slogans as "Gambling can be addictive," "Gambling can grip anyone," and "Gambling comes at a cost."

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