Article by Rob Mabbett- Engagement Director at Better Change (Gibraltar) Ltd
Things that split the room at this time of year; Pumpkin Spice, Trick or Treaters, Fireworks, John Lewis, Jona Lewie, Kevin the Carrot, Die Hard (is it really a Christmas movie?), Mariah Carey and of course Safer Gambling Week.
But before you draw the curtains, turn off the lights and pretend it none of this concerns – in particular the annual Safer Gambling event – here are three reasons to remind us all why we should fill our glasses half full and spread a little festive cheer for the gambling industry’s annual awareness campaign. Humbug!
The spirit of SGW Past: It’s all in the name.
I remember the first campaign in 2017, it was launched as Responsible Gambling week and to be honest from where I was sitting (which was behind the counter in a betting shop then), it was not met with the greatest of enthusiasm.
The main retail operators agreed to suspend their external marketing for the week, replacing it with Responsible Gambling week marketing and that was about it. Inside the shops things were pretty much the same as any other day or week. That soon changed though and very quickly marketing was internal too, across the in house tv channels and on the betting machines, with much more of an effort made to engage with customers across the week with focussed activities and events.
The big change for me came in 2020 when the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) started overseeing the campaign and changed the name from Responsible Gambling week to Safer Gambling week. The word ‘responsible’ had come in for some heavy criticism from industry critics, saying that it put all the onus on the consumer, “you must gamble more responsibly”.
The change to ‘safer gambling’ was a positive move, as it appeased both sides recognising that safer gambling is all of our responsibility. It meant that we could get on with the task in hand as opposed to spending the week arguing on Twitter.
This all happened during the 2nd Covid lockdown, so the activities then were focussed exclusively on the online industry, which before 2020 I had little knowledge of, but I remember that year’s campaign as a great success with operators, regulators, industry bodies and the support organisations united in the campaign.
For me the big positive of the name change is the wording, “Safer Gambling” or put another way “Gambling Safer”. This put the focus on the activity of gambling and how we make it safer for those who consume it. It is not “Stop Gambling Week” or “Anti-Gambling Week” it is “Safer Gambling Week” which I believe is less stigmatising and opens the door for narrative and educational work with our colleagues and customers hence the theme “Let’s talk about safer Gambling”.
The spirit of SGW Present: It provides a focus on what’s important.
Ok ok, the Gambling Act review is important, I get that, but it does go on a bit and it has caused a fair amount of disruption to the industry to say the least.
Discussions, consultations and crystal ball gazing around what is going to happen with affordability checks, stake limits, advertising, RET funding and levy’s is all well and good and has dominated events over the last couple of years but what is happening right now? What are we doing online, in betting shops, bingo halls, adult gaming centres and sporting venues to keep our customers engaged and safe?
The truth is we are doing plenty, but it tends to get drowned out by the noise of the Gambling Act review. This special week gives us an opportunity to put our white papers down and focus on the here and now, how are gambling businesses are performing in relation to safer gambling, how robust are the processes, what does the customer experience look like and, most importantly, how we can improve.
The spirit of SGW Future: It engages with customers.
The future sustainability of the gambling industry lies in the ability to keep customers engaged, entertained and, of course, safe. You will hear a lot of people say safer gambling should be a focus for all 52 weeks of the year and they are right, but by having a focussed awareness campaign each year it ensures that safer gambling gets the attention it needs and that industry standards are in-focus and subsequently raised higher.
For customers the enhanced presence of safer gambling messaging both on and offline help reduce the stigma around talking about gambling, especially if it is causing difficulties. Interactions with customers tend to increase during this period thanks to increased focus, and learnings through healthy discussions across the industry inform how we act going forward.
For industry employees understanding is improved through the activities that take place during the week, building confidence and competence thus improving the customer experience.
Finally, the safer gambling campaign is important to the customer as it serves to improve the public perception of the gambling industry.
Whether you think recent criticism of the gambling industry is just or unjust we believe work needs to be done to improve its image for its future sustainability. Campaigns such as safer gambling week provide a perfect opportunity to demonstrate the latest safer gambling initiatives that are on offer.
Between us we want to make sure that safer gambling week attitudes continue throughout the year and that we can continue to raise awareness and drive standards in an industry that is doing its best to provide gambling entertainment safely.
A new bingo brand has arrived, and this one’s got stripes! Introducing Zebra Bingo: We always get excited when there is a new bingo site, so we wanted to give you all the details. What Is Zebra Bingo? Zebra Bingo is the latest bingo site to join the lovely bingo community. It offers slots, live casino, table games, Slingo, jackpot games, and more. And it’s an exclusive launch only on…
Winlandia Bingo is launching with a bang, new customers can get an incredible offer – available only on WhichBingo: So get ready, bingo fans! Because a fresh face has joined the UK’s online bingo scene. Only on WhichBingo: A Better Offer Than Signing Up Directly We’ve secured a special deal that you won’t find anywhere else – it’s even better than the welcome offer on the main Winlandia website! Winlandia…
It takes an exceptional person to use their winnings to help others, and that’s exactly what Sharon Discombe did. 61-year-old Sharon, an Exeter grandmother of 13, struck a £20,000 full-house prize during Mega Money Live game at Mecca Bingo Exeter this month. And she and her husband, Darren, immediately put the winnings toward helping the community. “I was crying and shaking” Sharon said the win was completely unexpected – but…
Well, well, well. We’re now four episodes into Celebrity Traitors UK 2025, and the castle chaos is chaos’ing, as expected. The Celebrity Traitors cast have finally settled into their roles and the game is hotting up. If you’re not up to date, this piece contains HUGE spoilers. Head to iPlayer now and watch before reading. Spoiler: Alan Carr’s Killer Move In one of the biggest shocks so far, Alan Carr, the giggliest Traitor in…
If you want to get more treats than tricks, we’ve created the ultimate guide to the best Halloween bingo games, online Halloween slot games, and the spookiest bingo events. Featuring ‘ugly drag queens’, slasher fishermen, and more; we’ve got Halloween bingo events from Bongo’s Bingo, offers from Heart Bingo, Big Bass Halloween slot details, and more. So, forget ghosts and ghouls, the scariest thing this autumn would be missing out…
If like us you’re joyful at just the mere sound of the famous intro, you’ll be pleased to know that Big Brother is back. Bigger, bolder, and better (the jury’s still out on that one) than ever. The iconic reality TV format has returned to our ITV2 screens, and once again, it has the nation talking. This time, there’s a new partnership that caught our eye. Joining the likes of…
The Walking Dead has always been about survival against impossible odds, and now there is a slot game to match. To celebrate the launch of the new The Walking Dead – The Ones Who Live slot game and tv series, we have an exclusive free spins offer: Plus you’ll be getting exclusive early access to the game via Winlandia. Recap: The Walking Dead – The Ones Who Live When The…
Summer holidays, seaside getaways, and casino culture are probably more common than you realise. With Dabbing Out travelling to Brighton Beach for bingo, we were inspired to seek out more great places to play great games. WATCH: Dabbing Out episode 3: Brighton Bingo From glamorous European shores to bustling tourist hubs and floating resorts, these seven iconic destinations have seamlessly blended the excitement of travel with the thrill of the…
If you want to get more treats than tricks, we’ve created the ultimate guide to the best Halloween bingo games, online Halloween slot games, and the spookiest bingo events. Featuring ‘ugly drag queens’, slasher fishermen, and more; we’ve got Halloween bingo events from Bongo’s Bingo, offers from Heart Bingo, Big Bass Halloween slot details, and more. So, forget ghosts and ghouls, the scariest thing this autumn would be missing out…
The Walking Dead has always been about survival against impossible odds, and now there is a slot game to match. To celebrate the launch of the new The Walking Dead – The Ones Who Live slot game and tv series, we have an exclusive free spins offer: Plus you’ll be getting exclusive early access to the game via Winlandia. Recap: The Walking Dead – The Ones Who Live When The…
When you’ve gotta bingo, you’ve gotta bingo and this has made for some… interesting spots for people to play the classic game. The digital age has unleashed an online bingo revolution, and it’s happening in the most unexpected (and often hilarious) places. The 2025 WhichBingo Bingo Player Survey, polling 1,200 UK players, revealed a glimpse into the bizarre world of online bingo habits, proving that Brits will squeeze in a…
What does your favourite bingo or casino site say about you? Well, we have analysed all 265,000 votes and data from the WhichBingo Awards 2025 – to reveal how your vote played a key role, which sites and games made an unseen impact, and what it might say about you… You can view all the WhichBingo Awards 2025 winners here. What Your Favourite Bingo Site Says About You: Your Voting: The Big Picture 2025…
Gamblers are set for a major win as a new law will soon cap bonus wagering requirements. The changes, which will come into force on 19 January 2026, will cap casino bonus wagering requirements at a maximum of 10x times the bonus amount, a significant drop compared to the wagering requirements some sites have of 65x and higher. Big Win For Players: From £650 to £100 So, how will these…
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has announced two measures to improve player protection designed to reduce the risks of gambling addiction while ensuring that more operators contribute to helping people affected. The changes involve new stake limits and a statutory levy. Let’s read more about it. 1. New Stake Limits While full details have yet to be outlined, based on the Gambling Review’s White Paper, the…
Safer gambling week is upon us once again but what does that mean for the gambling industry and those who play? For gambling companies it is an opportunity to engage with their customers and promote the various tools that are on offer to help players manage their gambling spend, their time spent gambling and their access to gambling. For consumers it is a chance to have open and honest conversations…
For most people, gambling is a fun thing to do. A small deposit, a few wagers, or a cheeky flutter here and there can add a bit of thrill to your day. But for some, gambling can get out of control, creating financial and emotional challenges… or worse. That’s why Safer Gambling Week 2024 (SGW) which is running from Monday 18th of November to Sunday 24th of November is so…
When it comes to big Traitor energy, there’s only one man that comes to mind… former turret-dweller Traitor pro, Paul Gorton. Podcast host, Rolling Stone correspondent… and Joe Wilkinson pal (himself a die-hard traitors fan), this man’s built an empire on friendly deception. We’ve ranked the top 30 Free Spins offers in the UK. Check out our full list: WhichBingo caught up with the tall, quick, and ruthlessly competitive Gorton to dissect the mind games…
Well, well, well. We’re now four episodes into Celebrity Traitors UK 2025, and the castle chaos is chaos’ing, as expected. The Celebrity Traitors cast have finally settled into their roles and the game is hotting up. If you’re not up to date, this piece contains HUGE spoilers. Head to iPlayer now and watch before reading. Spoiler: Alan Carr’s Killer Move In one of the biggest shocks so far, Alan Carr, the giggliest Traitor in…
Debbie McGee sat down with WhichBingo to chat about her career and her ongoing love for Strictly Come Dancing. While many remember her from her years working alongside the late magician Paul Daniels, Debbie has built a career of her own in entertainment. With training at the Royal Ballet School, she’s worked across theatre, TV and radio, and has become known for her warmth and resilience. In 2017, she reached…
The latest season of Big Brother has already delivered on its promise of drama, shocks, and non-stop entertainment. Viewers can tune in 6 nights a week and expect to see surprise twists, fiery personalities, and the kind of unpredictable moments that keep the nation glued to their screens. WhichBingo is keeping fans updated on the biggest reality TV moments as they unfold. Season Recap The show kicked off with an…
by
Killian Morris
3min
Updated October 15, 2024
Anita Heffernan
Author & Former Editor
The Bingo Queen is a fun name earned from colleagues through Anita Heffernan's exceptional knowledge and commitment to the online bingo world. With over 20 years of experience as both a player and an expert in the industry, Anita has built a reputation as a trusted authority on all things bingo.
4min 
Reader comments