GambleAware has published a new report outlining the outcomes of its three-year public health campaign aimed at reducing stigma around gambling harm and encouraging help-seeking behaviour.
The findings highlight measurable changes in awareness and engagement, alongside renewed calls for tighter restrictions on gambling advertising.
The campaign, titled Let’s Open Up About Gambling, ran between April 2023 and May 2025 and is described by GambleAware as the first public health initiative of its kind focused specifically on gambling stigma.
It combined national advertising, media activity and partnerships with external organisations, with creative content co-produced alongside people with lived experience of gambling harm.
According to an independent evaluation conducted by Ipsos, more than 90% of the target audience who saw the campaign reported taking some form of action as a result. These actions included seeking advice, searching for GambleAware online and using digital tools designed to assess or manage gambling-related risk.
The evaluation also found that two in five people exposed to the campaign had a conversation about gambling as a direct result of the messaging.
The report notes increased engagement with GambleAware’s online support tools, including its Service Finder and Self-Assessment resources, suggesting the campaign translated awareness into practical behaviour change.
GambleAware has shared a set of learnings from the initiative, recommending that future campaigns continue to be co-created with people who have lived experience to help build trust and reduce stigma.
Despite the campaign's success, GambleAware is calling for stronger restrictions on gambling advertising. The charity notes that operators spend approximately £2bn ($2.7bn) annually on marketing, arguing that this significantly outweighs investment in public health messaging. GambleAware is urging the introduction of health warnings on all gambling advertisements and clearer signposting to support services.
The campaign's focus on reducing stigma aligns with broader GambleAware initiatives addressing inequality in gambling harm. In November 2025, the charity launched an interactive framework highlighting how social inequalities contribute to disproportionate gambling harm among marginalised communities.
Separate analysis from the same month revealed that over five million adults across Britain want to reduce or stop gambling, with three-quarters of this group not reporting problem gambling symptoms.
GambleAware's Self-Assessment tool has recorded over 87,000 completions since launching in April 2023, while its Service Finder has received more than 42,000 searches since July 2024
