SBC News - Player Protection Hub

Tipico maintains low levels of gambling harm in 2024 ESG report

Steve HoareAugust 1, 20250236 views

Tipico has placed problem gambling and player protection at the forefront of its 2024 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) report, published this week.

According to the figures, the company kept turnover from potentially problematic gambling behaviour below 1.5% for the full year. This figure includes activity from customers who would later self-exclude or be excluded before protective interventions were triggered.

Tipico says maintaining the share below this metric reflects the effectiveness of its early detection systems and is a ‘central focus’ in its broader responsible gambling strategy.

Axel Hefer, CEO of Tipico, stated: “This ESG report reflects our commitment to long-term value creation for all stakeholders, and it shows that growth and responsibility go hand in hand at Tipico. We are very proud of the progress we’ve made in 2024 – the year of the UEFA Euro.”

Meanwhile, the company launched its first nationwide responsible gambling television campaign in 2024, which reached more than four million viewers via sports broadcasts and online platforms.

The campaign formed part of a broader approach that includes continued funding for research, access to treatment programmes, as well as external evaluations of the company’s player protection practices.

SG – a vital ingredient
While problem gambling continues to attract attention across Europe, Tipico’s report positions harm prevention and data-driven intervention as essential components of its operating model.

The group’s focus on problem gambling prevention comes amid a wider debate about player protection in Germany. Operators, represented by the DWSV trade body, argue that the best way to protect players is by preventing them from exposure to the black market, but the GGL regulator believes that licensed firms need to take more responsibility.

“Our ESG strategy is about building a sustainable, forward-looking organisation that puts people first and sets consumer protection, integrity and our people at the core of all our operations,” added Christian Wurzinger, Tipico’s CFO.

“Our achievements in responsible gaming and the ongoing development of our teams are a strong testament to this commitment.”

Elsewhere in the report, the company outlined developments in employee training and environmental sustainability. Tipico delivered over 15,000 hours of training in 2024, with an emphasis on leadership and career development across its workforce.

The company also stated it is on track to meet its target of carbon neutrality by 2030. In 2024, it reduced Scope 2 CO₂e emissions by 41% year-on-year and introduced office-wide recycling initiatives. These changes contributed to the company achieving ISO 14001 environmental certification in 2025.

Global push for safety
Tipico isn’t the only gambling operator to see the importance of sustainability in gambling, particularly amid widespread public and political concerns across various European markets

Back In February 2021, Swedish firm Kindred (now owned by French firm FDJ United) launched a sustainability campaign titled ‘Journey to Zero’ to eliminate harmful gambling revenue. It looked to reduce the share of gross winnings revenue generated from high‑risk players to 0%.

Kindred has gradually made progress toward its aim, and by the third quarter of 2023, revenue from high‑risk players had reduced to 3.1%, up from around 3.3% in Q3 2023, with an improvement rate of 87.4% in customer behaviour after interventions

Other markets like the UK, meanwhile, continue to see extensive charity initiatives, now funded by a mandatory statutory levy paid by licenced UK operators, a requirement of the 2005 Gambling Act review White Paper.

A recent development saw training from the Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM) deliver strong results in helping Health and Social Care practitioners spot and respond to gambling and gaming harms in young people, according to an evaluation by Rocket Science.

The report found that after completing the training, practitioners were 72% better at identifying harmful behaviours. Their knowledge of gaming and gambling risks jumped from 14.8% to 95.1%.

Confidence levels also rose sharply, with a 91.9% increase in their ability to talk to young people about these issues, and a 92.8% improvement in providing support and guidance.

September 15 will see SBC organise a ground breaking charity football event in Lisbon. Make sure you get the chance to see some of the most legendary names in football by securing your ticket today at https://www.legendscharitygame.com/

Erdogan’s top lieutenant questions Turkey’s fight on illegal gambling

Steve HoareAugust 1, 20250202 views

Turkish authorities praised progress on campaigns and initiatives to tackle social harms and improve public health at the annual meeting of the High Council for Combatting Addiction.

Chaired by Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz at the Presidential Complex, authorities detailed progress in implementing 88 of 91 directives proposed in 2019 by the Ministry of the Interior and public health organisation YEŞİLAY (Green Crescent).

The session highlighted Turkey’s strengthened multi-institutional efforts across a broad range of addiction-related challenges to map drug prevention, smoking cessation, alcohol control, and digital safety.

Ministries presented data-backed updates on ongoing work: expanded rehabilitation facilities, increased cessation clinics, educational programmes in schools, and reinforced customs surveillance to combat narcotics smuggling.

For a government that has been grappling with economic strain and political unrest, the High Council offered a moment of policy coherence.

The Erdogan administration has been focused on addiction prevention for some time, and the issue has received structured, multi-agency attention.

Under Yılmaz’s stewardship, ministries have aligned prevention, enforcement, and education efforts with an eye toward long-term social stability.

But beneath the polished progress report lay a conspicuous omission: virtual gambling (“sanal bahis”), a fast-expanding sector that the government has done little to contain.

Yılmaz, who is viewed as President Erdoğan’s strict taskmaster having overseen policing, addiction programs, economic reform agendas, and development planning. He conceded that the government has no meaningful picture of gambling addiction in Turkey, despite its growing social and economic toll.

The reason for this blind spot is political as much as institutional. Illicit online gambling thrives in the gaps between financial technology, enforcement apathy, and political convenience. While law enforcement has made strides in dismantling drug networks, gambling remains a topic few in Ankara are willing to broach with urgency.

The AK government has called on federal police and intelligence agencies to draw up a national action plan. But few believe such a plan will reach the top of the government’s priority list. The issue, long aired by Ali Babacan, a former AK Party minister turned opposition leader, implicates individuals and networks with ties to Erdoğan’s inner circle.

Doubts persist about whether the ruling party has the political appetite to pursue a crackdown that might expose uncomfortable affiliations — or worse, unseat sources of informal revenue.

The unease deepened with the recent arrest of Ahmed Faruk Karslı, CEO of Istanbul-based fintech app Papara in May – a business once regarded as “Turkey’s Fintech Unicorn”.

Karslı was detained by Police Intelligence on charges of corruption, following revelations that Papara facilitated over 26,000 accounts for illegal betting transactions, worth a staggering ₺12.9bn (around €340m).

The scandal underscores not only the scope of Turkey’s underground betting economy, but also the digital financial architecture that enables it.

The government’s silence on Papara, beyond routine legal proceedings has raised eyebrows. As fintech expands and mobile payments surge, regulators seem reluctant to confront the platforms that blur the line between convenience and criminality.

The timing is awkward. President Erdoğan’s approval ratings are at their lowest in years, following a wave of political arrests in Istanbul this May.

In response, long fragmented opposition parties have found new momentum to attack Erdoğan’s regime, yet will not form a majority in Parliament to trigger a snap election, as was assumed following protests and strikes in May.

Erdoğan’s conservative image has long rested on moral authority: anti-drug, pro-family, socially traditional. Yet gambling, especially when enabled by financial actors with AK Party links, threatens to puncture that narrative.

If Yılmaz’s remarks were intended as a warning shot, they may also be a signal of internal rifts within the administration—between technocrats who see the policy gap and party loyalists unwilling to fill it.

Yılmaz posed a simple question at the council’s close: “Should we impose safeguards against gambling as we have for other digital threats?”

It is a question few in Turkey’s ruling elite have dared ask. But if the government wishes to retain control of the national narrative on addiction, the time for political caution may be over.

Online gambling is not just a vice; it is a systemic risk—one that straddles public health, criminal finance, and political integrity. Leaving it unaddressed may not only jeopardize social stability. It may also cost the government its last claims to moral leadership.

NBA star Arenas indicted for involvement in alleged illegal poker games

SBC AmericasJuly 31, 20250183 views

Three-time NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas is embroiled in controversy related to allegations of operating an illegal gambling business involving poker games collecting a rake.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, Arenas and five other defendants were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly holding high-stakes poker games at a mansion Arenas owned in Los Angeles. Arenas, drafted out of Arizona by the Golden State Warriors in 2001, is charged with one count of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, one count of operating an illegal gambling business and making false statements to federal investigators. The other defendants in the case range between the ages of 27 and 53, with one being a suspected member of an Israeli crime group.

Arenas allegedly rented out the mansion to host the high-stakes poker games. He allegedly collected rent from the co-conspirators who staged and hosted the games.

Arenas allegedly hosts illegal Pot Limit Omaha..

GAMSTOP says problem gambling awareness is high

Steve HoareJuly 30, 20250218 views

GAMSTOP has highlighted that people in the UK have a generally high knowledge of problem gambling tools at their disposal.

This was noted in the self-exclusion scheme’s latest report on registration activity, which showed more than 600,000 registrations and around 525,000 active self-exclusions from online gambling in the UK. In total, this constituted a growth of 100,000 registrants over the last 11 months.

“Such unprecedented growth in registrations indicates a widespread need for self-exclusion and highlights the crucial role of the gambling harm prevention, education, treatment and support sector,” GAMSTOP wrote on social media.

“We are proud to have formed strong, collaborative relationships with a wide range of organisations to help ensure that we provide signposting to a robust network of support to our service users.”

GAMSTOP further reminded that it will soon start only using active exclusions as a metric as outdated user account information will gradually be archived starting 25 October.

That way, people whose minimum exclusion period expired more than seven years ago will have their personal data stored separately from more fresh data. In comparison, active exclusions will serve as a more accurate representation of problem gambling in the UK, with the current figures of over half a million representing 1% of the adult population.

Generally considered to have one of the best responsible gambling frameworks in Europe, the UK is currently gearing up to implement even more policies to make play safer.

Back in 2023, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) – based on recommendations from the Gambling Act Review White Paper – announced the NHS as the sole commissioner of an annual £100m Research, Education, and Treatment (RET) levy funding, paid by UK operators.

Developed in conjunction with the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) to serve as treatment support commissioner, the levy will ensure that the entire UK problem gambling support network will be operated outside of any influence from the gambling sector.

GambleAware, a charity that served as the previous commissioner of voluntary RET donations, has announced that it will close down by March 2026.

Dutch party promises more gambling control if elected

Steve HoareJuly 29, 20250193 views

As an election approaches in the Netherlands, gambling is shaping up to be a major talking point for winning the electorate over.

Parties are already putting out their election plans ahead of the October vote, with one of them being centre-right VVD.

Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius/VVD
Led by Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius, the party has embedded a promise into its manifesto to increase the powers of Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) – the Dutch gambling authority.

By doing so, the VVD hopes to achieve a more effective approach towards reducing rates of online gambling harm, as well as stricter control over the market and better results when combatting illegal iGaming providers.

Cited by Casinonieuws.nl, the manifesto read: “Online gambling: We are reforming the Remote Gambling Act to combat gambling addiction.

“We give the Gaming Authority more powers to supervise online gambling providers and take enforcement action.

“In consultation with other European member states, there must also be a creative approach to combat illegal gambling companies that is in line with the approach to criminal networks.”

The above falls in line not only with common European interests against the black market, but also with a number of other developments relating to online gambling in the Netherlands.

Legal Protections Secretary Teun Struycken is currently spearheading a list of Remote Gambling Act 2021 (KOA) reforms that already foresee the gambling regulator becoming equipped with more powers. VVD now promises to expedite this process.

The party’s focus on gambling is most likely driven by continuous warnings from the sector that the black market has now reached a concerning size which threatens Dutch consumers.

At the most recent Gaming in Holland conference, Arjan Blok, CEO of the Dutch state lottery, stated that 25% of customers are engaging with unlicensed operators, leading to a loss of €1.3bn.

VVD has clearly heard these concerns. Its manifesto to tackle the black market carries proper weight due to the party’s size. It was one of the four-party coalition governments that fell apart earlier this year, which led to new elections being scheduled for 29 October.

Dutch regulator clamps down on AML while self-exclusions hit 100k

Steve HoareJuly 29, 20250225 views

The Dutch Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) gambling regulator has cautioned the market that “there is still room for improvement’ regarding adherence to anti-money laundering duties.

After an investigation into three unnamed licensed gaming companies, the KSA determined that all three had violated the terms of the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (Prevention) Act (Wwft).

Under the Wwft, licensed gaming firms – which hold Dutch licences under the October 2021 KOA Act regulatory regime – are required to monitor player transactions and report unusual transactions to the country’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU).

After assessing documents such as player files, internal documents on Wwft policy and risk assessments, it seems that the KSA was not satisfied that the three companies in question were meeting these requirements.

The regulator signed off its latest statement with a warning – it has cautioned over licence holders in the Dutch marketplace that subsequent inspections reveal further failures to adhere to AML standards, more severe sanctions like penalties or fines may be imposed.

Dutch gambling feels the pressure
The KSA’s revelation comes amid rising political pressure on the country’s betting and gaming industry, which has grown exponentially since re-regulation in October 2021 under the aforementioned KOA Act.

An initial marketplace of 10 licence holders has since grown to more than 30, and KSA reprimands and at times penalisation of operators for breaching conditions around AML, player protection or advertising are not uncommon.

Advertising in particular has become a contentious issue, with a total ban on sponsorships coming into play in July this year, following on from a ban on the use of ‘role models’ in advertising in 2023.

Many policymakers were concerned that a ‘bombardment’ of advertising in the years after market launch was having negative societal impacts. Figures from the national self-exclusion register, CRUKS, may have partly contributed to this view.

The latest figures, as revealed by CasinoNieuws.nl, show that more than 100,000 people have now self-excluded from the Dutch market. This includes a rising number of people opting for long-term self-exclusion instead of the shortest possible period possible, six months.

Though political pressure on the Dutch market may have temporarily paused ahead of the general election scheduled in October, politicians seem firmly committed to overseeing regulatory reforms, with a particular focus on preventing consumers aged-24 and under from compulsive gambling.

GambleAware closure labelled ‘a tragedy’ ahead of levy implementation

iGamingExpertJuly 29, 20250210 views

The Statutory Levy has been described as causing an ‘exodus of talent’ from the UK’s gambling harm treatment and prevention sector, following news of GambleAware’s closure.

GambleAware stated that as a result of the statutory levy it will undergo a “managed closure” by the end of March 2026. The charity had been acting as the commissioner of gambling harm treatment programmes since its foundation in 2002.

Jordan Lea, Founder of DealMeOut, reacted to the news on LinkedIn, describing GambleAware as the most recognisable, and respected brands to the population, and holds vast, specialised expertise in research, evaluation and commissioning.

He added: “It is an aberration that the implementation of the Statutory levy is causing so many job losses, creating an exodus of talent from our sector.”

What is the statutory levy?

Following changes made by the government, operators in the UK are now required to contribute to a statutory levy to support research, education and treatment (RET), with contributions determined by companies’ gross gambling yield.

As a result, the NHS will now take over from third sector organisations, such as GambleAware, as the main administrator of the treatment and prevention of gambling harms.

Up to £100m per year is expected to be raised by the new levy. 20% of which will go to the Research Commissioner, UK Research and Innovation, to research to establish a bespoke Research Programme on Gambling, as well as the UK Gambling Commission, to direct further research in line with licensing objectives.

The Prevention Commissioner, Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), will receive 30% of the levy funding. OHID will develop a comprehensive approach to prevention and early intervention.

Meanwhile, 50% of the levy funding will go to the Treatment Commissioner, NHS England and relevant bodies in Scotland and Wales, who will commission treatment and support services in collaboration with the third sector.

Andy Boucher, Chair of trustees, GambleAware, commented: “The introduction of the new statutory levy and the appointment of the three new commissioners for gambling harms research, prevention and treatment means that, as expected, the work historically delivered by GambleAware will now transition to the UK government and new commissioners across England, Scotland and Wales.

“We have advocated for the introduction of a statutory system for many years and are proud of our contribution to its implementation. Alongside this, we are also proud of the impact GambleAware’s prevention and treatment activity has had in supporting tens of thousands of people over the years, through our national campaigns and our commissioned partners, including the National Gambling Support Network.

“Our main priority continues to be keeping people safe from gambling harm and to ensure stability and continuity for our beneficiaries as the new commissioners take over. The GambleAware website and critical prevention resources continue to provide accessible support for all.”

Building on current progress

Whilst Boucher welcomed the new era, he urged NHS England, OHID, UK Research and Innovation, and the appropriate bodies in Scotland and Wales to ‘build upon the current system’s achievements and insights to ensure learnings are carried forward’.

Reacting to the news, the Minister for Gambling Baroness Twycross, who is being charged with leading this new approach to addressing gambling harms, praised the work of GambleAware, and the wider third sector, and promised that the new levy will build on the work of such organisations.

She said: “As the new statutory gambling levy system comes into effect, managing a smooth and stable transition is an absolute priority, and we are taking significant steps to maintain service provision. The new levy system will build on the successes of the current system to improve and expand efforts to further understand, tackle and treat harmful gambling.

“I want to thank GambleAware and all their staff for their efforts to support those in need across our country.”

A crucial junction

GambleAware highlighted the importance of its work in May, revealing that it had witnessed a 50% increase in self-referrals to regional support providers since April 2023.

The figures from the charity revealed that over 110,000 people had accessed some level of support from its National Gambling Support Network (NGSN) since its foundation in April 2023. Brief interventions, typically a short conversation on how to reduce the risk of gambling harm saw a 93% increase.

As a result, this underlines the importance of a smooth transition to the stewardship of gambling harm treatment by the NHS to ensure that those in need get the necessary help.

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GambleAware to close by March 2026

Steve HoareJuly 29, 20250193 views

GambleAware has announced that it has begun the process to manage its planned closure by 31 March 2026, due to the UK health ecosystem transitioning to a new statutory framework to combat gambling-related harms.

The decision was formally confirmed by Andy Boucher, Chair of Trustees, who stated that the charity had fulfilled its duties in preparing the UK’s gambling support network to transition to a new public health-led system, managed by NHS commissioners across England, Scotland and Wales.

“The introduction of the new statutory levy and the appointment of the three new commissioners for gambling harms research, prevention and treatment means that, as expected, the work historically delivered by GambleAware will now transition to the UK government,” Boucher said.

“We have advocated for this statutory system for many years and are proud of our contribution to its implementation.”

Since 2017, GambleAware has played a central role in building a harm-reduction system through its commissioning of prevention, treatment and support services, including the National Gambling Support Network (NGSN).

At the close of 2023, DCMS chose the NHS as the lead commissioner for gambling harm services, overseeing the statutory levy under a new framework developed in partnership with the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) as commission of treatment support.

The decision was made to ensure that the statutory levy and the wider gambling harms support network would operate independently of influence from the gambling sector — a long-standing criticism directed at GambleAware throughout its existence, and one which the charity consistently refuted.

According to Boucher, GambleAware’s programmes have supported tens of thousands of people annually, while national prevention campaigns have provided tools and advice to millions.

While preparing to close, GambleAware will continue to honour its commissioning agreements through to April 2026 to ensure continuity of services and stability for beneficiaries.

“Our main priority continues to be keeping people safe from gambling harm. The GambleAware website and critical prevention resources will remain available to ensure support remains accessible throughout the transition,” Boucher noted.

“Since 2017, GambleAware has championed the development of a statutory, public health-led system to address gambling harm. We welcome this new era in which gambling harms are recognised alongside other public health issues and are funded through a statutory levy.

GambleAware’s closure was acknowledged by Baroness Twycross, Minister for Gambling, who paid tribute to its legacy of expanding dedicated gambling harm support services within UK communities

“GambleAware and others across the third sector, including the National Gambling Support Network, have worked with tireless commitment over the years. As the new statutory gambling levy system comes into effect, managing a smooth and stable transition is an absolute priority.”

Twycross reiterated that the government would ensure continuity and seek to expand efforts to treat and reduce gambling harms under the new statutory system, which will be funded through a mandatory levy on gambling operators.

“As the new statutory gambling levy system comes into effect, managing a smooth and stable transition is an absolute priority, and we are taking significant steps to maintain service provision.

“The new levy system will build on the successes of the current system to improve and expand efforts to further understand, tackle and treat harmful gambling.

“I want to thank GambleAware and all their staff for their efforts to support those in need across our country.”

The news marks a significant turning point in UK gambling policy, with the statutory levy replacing the previous voluntary funding model and establishing a more centralised public health approach to tackling gambling harms.

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Peru gambling sector unites against Dina’s punitive tax

iGamingExpertJuly 29, 20250208 views

Gambling Licences in Peru are ready to demand a repeal of President Boluarte 1% revenue tax, deemed as an unconstitutional measure, SBC Noticias’ Lucia Gando writes for iGaming Expert.

Tensions are high in Peru, as licensed gambling operators say they are united in their demand for the government to repeal the 1% Selective Consumption Tax (ISC) on wagers — a levy they describe as unconstitutional, anti-competitive and financially unsustainable.

Introduced in February 2024 under Legislative Decree 1644, the tax was pushed through by President Dina Boluarte’s administration as a means to underpin Peru’s newly regulated online gambling framework. The ISC applies a flat 1% charge on the total value of all bets placed including those made using promotional bonuses — regardless of an operator’s licensing status.

For operators holding Peruvian licences, the tax has become a threat to business, as international platforms can offset the tax by passing it onto consumers, domestic firms must absorb the cost directly, eroding margins and distorting competition.

Dina punishes Good Actors…

Industry insiders describe the tax as a blunt instrument that fails to account for the commercial realities of licensed operators. Promotional bonuses a core acquisition and retention tool are now being taxed as though they represent actual turnover.

“Taxing a bonus like real money is the equivalent of charging someone for a prize before they’ve even won,” said one executive involved in the legal campaign to overturn the measure.

Constitutional expert Carlos Fonseca Sarmiento, CEO of Gaming Law Peru, has gone further —branding the tax “openly unconstitutional.” He argues that Decree 1644 breaches Peru’s constitutional principles of equality, legal clarity, and non-confiscatory taxation. Crucially, the decree fails to clearly define the taxable event, making it vulnerable to legal challenge.

MINCETUR has no powers

While the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) has defended the ISC as a necessary fiscal tool projecting annual revenues of up to 284 million soles – critics accuse the government of undermining its own regulatory ambitions.

The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (MINCETUR), tasked with formalising the gambling sector, has seen its work destabilised. Industry voices say the MEF is working at cross-purposes with MINCETUR, penalising compliant businesses while doing little to police unlicensed operators.

“Every step MINCETUR takes to bring order, the MEF seems determined to dismantle,” said Fonseca.

The tension reached new heights last month when Congress voted to amend the tax — excluding promotional wagers and applying the levy only to cash-based bets. The move was welcomed by the industry, but swiftly vetoed by President Boluarte, who warned of a 95% drop in ISC revenues if the changes were passed.

Settlement in Congress

That veto has only hardened the industry’s resolve. Domestic operators are now preparing coordinated legal and constitutional challenges to strike down the tax in its current form. Many are also calling on Congress to override the presidential veto — a move that would require a qualified majority but could signal a decisive policy shift.

Meanwhile, questions remain over whether SUNAT — Peru’s tax authority — has the capacity to enforce the tax across unregulated or foreign platforms, many of which operate beyond its reach. As it stands, critics say compliant firms are being punished for playing by the rules.

All eyes now turn to the upcoming national gambling policy conference in Lima, where the industry is expected to present a united front. With market sustainability, regulatory integrity, and foreign investment on the line, pressure is mounting on the government to rethink its fiscal strategy — or risk watching the sector slip back into the shadows.

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GamCare opens tender to evaluate effectiveness of Women’s Pathway Programme

Steve HoareJuly 29, 20250215 views

GamCare seeks a qualified partner to evaluate the work and strategic progress of its “Women’s Pathway Programme” (WP Programme).

The gambling harms intervention, treatment and support charity has initiated a tender to review the WP Programme’s effectiveness with regards to breaking barriers that “prevent women from seeking help for gambling harms” and to provide further guidance on the programme’s development and strategic planning.

A headline project, the WP Programme was established in 2024 as a three-year mandate to help GamCare provide dedicated pathways for women in local communities to seek help from gambling harms, whether individually suffering or impacted by someone else’s behaviour.

GamCare views Women’s Pathways as an essential component to improving the support of the National Gambling Helpline and further enhancing treatment support services, resources and staff training.

As cited: “Fundamental to our approach is understanding the role that building women’s self-confidence/self-esteem, destigmatising gambling harm and improving health literacy plays in enabling women to access the services and support that they need.”

The impact evaluation will assess the effectiveness of the WPP in empowering women and reducing both individual and systemic barriers to help-seeking. Core evaluation questions will include:

How the programme enhances women’s confidence and decision-making regarding gambling harm.
The extent to which the programme has reduced stigma as a barrier to support.
The impact on help-seeking behaviour and accessibility of support services.
Milestones in women’s empowerment and destigmatisation during the funding cycle.
Recommendations for future development and scaling.

The scope of work will require the successful evaluator to develop a comprehensive evaluation plan outlining methodology, data collection tools and delivery timelines.

Evaluators will be responsible for analysing the findings and producing both interim and final impact evaluation reports. Findings will be presented to GamCare’s internal team and key stakeholders to inform ongoing strategic planning.

Tender submissions must include a cover letter detailing the applicant’s experience in conducting impact evaluations, particularly within the charity sector and on themes of women’s empowerment and/or destigmatisation.

Proposals should outline the intended methodology, plans for data collection and analysis, a realistic timeline for delivery, and the qualifications of the team.

The evaluation has a total budget of £80,000 inclusive of VAT and expenses. The contract will cover the period from April 2025 to June 2027, coinciding with the delivery and conclusion of the WPP.

Tender submissions are due by 8 August 2025. Shortlisted applicants will be notified the week commencing 11 August, with interviews (if applicable) scheduled for the week of 25 August 2025. The successful evaluator will be appointed between 8 and 19 September 2025.

Further details on the tender and submission process can be accessed via the following contact: Laura Burke – laura.burke@gamcare.org.uk. A full tender brief is available at: https://www.gamcare.org.uk/news-and-jobs/invitations-to-tender/

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