Gambling Awareness Organization Defends Itself Against Charity Commission Complaint

The Gambling Awareness Organization is resolutely opposing “deceptive and antiquated claims.”

Zoe Osmond, the head of the Gambling Awareness Organization, is defending the organization’s work in response to accusations from the “Good Law Project.”

The Gambling Awareness Organization is standing firm against “misleading and outdated claims.”

In March, the Good Law Project filed a complaint with the Charity Commission regarding the Gambling Awareness Organization’s methods of spreading information. The Good Law Project accused the Gambling Awareness Organization’s board members of failing to achieve the charity’s goal of providing sufficient gambling harm education.

The complaint claims that the Gambling Awareness Organization’s poor performance is due to its connection with the industry and its “dependence on industry funding.”

At the time, Osmond responded in a statement given to iGB that the Gambling Awareness Organization is “completely independent” of the industry.

Now, Osmond is again defending the Gambling Awareness Organization and believes the complaint will not be sustained. It is understood that the Charity Commission is still determining whether it needs to intervene.

Osmond stated: “Our strong governance and commissioning practices guarantee that the industry has no influence on our operations. The Gambling Awareness Organization’s independence is widely acknowledged by a variety of stakeholders, including the government, as shown in the Gambling White Paper.

“The complaint submitted to the Charity Commission by the Good Law Project is based on misleading and outdated information.”

Though GambleAware feels this grievance won’t be sustained, they remain deeply troubled by the possibility that inaccurate headlines and misleading news reports could negatively affect their services and the individuals who depend on them.

GambleAware is apprehensive about the effect of the grievance on vulnerable gamblers. While GambleAware accuses the Good Law Project’s grievance of being founded on inaccurate information, the charity is also concerned about the repercussions of such accusations on at-risk gamblers who might require their services.

“The deeply ingrained stigma surrounding gambling harm often makes it challenging for individuals to seek assistance,” Osmond continued. “Maintaining the credibility and reputation of essential support services is crucial to reaching people before gambling problems become disastrous.

“Undermining these services, and the dedicated staff and experts who manage them, not only jeopardizes those who rely on them directly, but also many who are indirectly affected by the gambling problems of loved ones.”

GambleAware defends the effectiveness of its treatment. GambleAware cites annual National Gambling Support Network statistics to justify its work. The data reveals that nine out of ten vulnerable gamblers who finish treatment “observe an improvement in their condition.”

For those who did not observe an improvement in their condition, 69% of cases were due to them not completing treatment.

Moreover, GambleAware points to the impact of its website, which has 6.

Each year, 5 million travelers come, alongside a nationwide public health initiative that reaches over 95% of the populace.

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