Limits are good, says BGC
'Limits are good’: a new campaign to encourage safer gambling over the festive period
Over the Christmas period, the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) will conduct a multimedia campaign to encourage individuals to set limits before betting. Targeted at people aged between 18-34, the campaign forms part of our Safer Gambling Commitments, and will promote the tools to facilitate customers staying in control of their betting. Just as we all set limits in many aspects of our daily lives, we believe that the same should apply to gambling.
The campaign will feature five 20-second digital films, available on YouTube, showcasing social scenarios made comic by the characters’ lack of limits. One depicts uncontrollable laughter confusing a social scene, while another shows a guest at a party helping himself to a limitless pile of food. These all provide a metaphor for the BGC campaign’s headline slogan – ‘limits are good’. The campaign will be rolled out across online operators and retail locations in the next few weeks.
The ‘limits are good’ message is based on research commissioned by the Senet Group which demonstrated the direct link between enjoyable gambling and individuals’ ability to stay in control. Most gamblers establish self-determined limits for their play. The research suggests that negative sentiment towards gambling is almost exclusively associated with the sense of lost control. It is under these circumstances that customers bet and game in a harmful way.
With this research in mind, the path to progress seems clear. The betting and gaming sector must endorse methods for individuals to control their gambling behaviour. We must actively provide tools that make it easier for customers to limit both their time and money spent gambling, and to encourage them to do so.
Our members have all renovated the tools and technologies in place for customers to set their limits. These will be promoted over the coming weeks to encourage wider use and application.
The effectiveness of this campaign will be measured after 6 months. It will assess the average deposit limits set, the number of visits to limit-setting pages and the soft-media impact. It forms part of our wider strategy to encourage responsible gambling, identify and address the causes of harmful play, and to enhance the role the industry plays in the social lives of millions.
Gambling can be an entertaining pastime that brings people together over the festive period. It is our responsibility to ensure that the structures are in place for customers to engage with this environment in a safe and enjoyable way.
