Ygam: Student support awareness grows amidst new era transformation

At a time when safer gambling support is in the midst of a significant transformation, Ygam has reported that 58% of students who gamble say they are aware of the gambling support available, and 69% say they are confident in accessing it.

Further data from GamStop revealed that 60,000 under-25s are registered with GamStop, a 75% increase over the last five years.

Fiona Palmer, CEO of The Gamstop Group, commented: “The Annual Student Gambling Survey reveals a worrying lack of awareness about the risks of gambling in the student community and the impact on students who struggle to control their gambling, but it is encouraging to see more awareness of the support available.” 

The release of this data comes as the UK is currently transitioning to a new model of funding for gambling harm treatment led by the NHS through the Statutory Levy. However, concerns continue to rise over the effectiveness of the new regime as charities begin to receive news of whether they will receive funding from the government.

Just yesterday, it was confirmed that Gamban had been omitted from the funding pot.  

The charity, which was previously funded by GambleAware, took aim at the decision of OHID to exclude it from the new funding process due to it being a limited company.  

The group lamented the process of OHID, stating that it being a limited company “was not a reasonable basis to omit the best available gambling blocking software from the commissioning process” as it revealed that it has been forced into steps to ensure the maintenance of the quality of service its users need.

The latest findings of the study from Ygam and GamStop demonstrate the importance of maintaining effective gambling harm treatment to ensure that players of any age can continue to receive the required help when needed.

The rise of social media

The latest edition of the survey also recognised the role that social media is playing in influencing the behavio