Safer Gambling Sets New Benchmark With Record Social Media Engagement

Safer Gambling Week appears to be getting the message across, judging by the latest data that has been published. Results shared for the campaign, which ran from 17-23 November 2025, was organised by the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), BACTA, and the Bingo Association, and record levels of social media engagement were noted.

Indeed, Safer Gambling Week set a new benchmark, and it delivered its strongest showing to date, with more than 80 million impressions created across all major social media platforms. Significantly, the social media interactions translated into a 40% uptick on last year’s performance.

Campaign received plenty of backing

The initiative has been growing in profile, and this year, it was rolled out for the ninth edition. Plenty of support was garnered for the campaign during the week, with a record number of senior cross-party MPs and peers throwing their weight behind it, including Gambling Minister Baroness Twycross and Shadow Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) Secretary Nigel Huddleston MP.

Gambling Commission CEO Andrew Rhodes gave his full backing to the campaign, while football clubs also participated. During Safer Gambling Week, Chelsea posted a message alongside its betting partner, Betway, and this reached its 25 million followers on X.

Sparking serious conversations

The emphasis of Safer Gambling Week was to spark serious conversations about gambling and promote a culture of safe betting. Customers were signposted to a range of responsible gambling tools throughout the campaign, such as setting deposit limits, self-exclusion, and having cooling-off periods to take a break and reassess their wagering habits.

Staying in control and speaking to friends and family about problem gambling is behind the underlying message. Figures have shown that the number of problem gamblers in the UK was 2.7% in 2024.

The BGC, meanwhile, have proudly claimed they have raised more than £170m to contribute to research, prevention and treatment services over the past four years to tackle problem gambling. That said, it is thought that around 22.5m Britons place a bet each month, with the majority of those doing so in a safe and responsible way.

Customer protection is top of the agenda

With the regulated gambling industry increasingly coming under threat from the black market, the need to protect vulnerable bettors remains at the top of the agenda. BGC CEO Grainne Hurst praised the record social media engagement results, while also referencing the need to ensure there is no let-up in terms of spreading the message about safe gambling.

In a statement, Hurst said:

“The growth in engagement shows our message is reaching more people than ever. In previous years, increases in online activity have translated into a greater uptake of tools, such as time-outs and deposit limits, and we expect to see the same trend again.

“Thanks to the efforts of operators, organisations and supporters across the country, millions more people are now being better informed about how to stay in control and enjoy betting safely. That is something our entire industry can take real pride in.

“As always, our commitment to safer gambling does not begin and end with this campaign. Safer Gambling Week shines a spotlight on the work we carry out year-round, ensuring that the regulated industry continues to prioritise customer protection every single week of the year.”