GamCare has released a UK-wide advertising campaign for its National Gambling Helpline to remind players to seek support if needed as the annual sporting calendar ramps up.
Developed in collaboration with creative agencies RCP and 23red and production studio Common People Studio, the 30-second ad will be shown across multiple digital platforms. The new campaign, according to GameCare’s press release, aims to ‘bring the hidden feelings of gambling harm to life’.
GameCare also confirmed there would be an increased push on the ad’s visibility around New Year on account of it being “one of the busiest times of year in terms of people contacting the helpline”.
Targeting men aged between 18 and 44, the campaign launches ahead of a busy autumn sporting calendar which includes the women’s Cricket World Cup that began at the end of September, football’s Champions League and Premier League as well as several Formula 1 Grand Prix races.
The advert begins with a man out for a walk with his dog, but while the dog tugs on the lead, he’s shown stuck knee-deep in a block of cement, fixated on watching the horseracing on his phone.
The voiceover, along with accompanying subtitles, says: “Gambling got you feeling stuck?”
The ad then cuts to a woman in a work meeting constricted by a thick purple rope. The voiceover continues: “Like you’re all tied up in knots?”
The next scene shows a man wedged behind his sofa cushions, unable to move. The commentary adds: “Or trapped with no way out?”
The ad then returns to the man stuck in the block of cement as the voiceover says: “If gambling’s getting the better of you, we can help you break free.”
The ad pans back to the woman struggling in the knot to drink her coffee.“Get confidential support from our trained advisers,” it continues. “GamCare. Gambling support starts here.”
The ad ends back with the man in the sofa as he stretches his hand to reach the TV remote control. The National Gambling Helpline number appears on the screen.
Victoria Corbishley, GamCare CEO, said the ad “visualises the inner turmoil that people experiencing gambling harms can feel”.
“It’s a fresh approach that we hope helps people in need, whether they gamble themselves or care about someone who does,” she explained. “We hope they will see those signs and reach out sooner for support.”
Hidden in plain sight
Tristan Cavanagh, 23red creative director, added: “Unhealthy gambling habits are often hidden in plain sight.
“We set out to create something people who are experiencing gambling harms instantly recognise and feel rather than just watch, with visuals that mirror the quiet chaos inside someone’s head.
“Our aim was to cut through the usual tropes and deliver a piece that resonates emotionally, prompting conversations before harm escalates.”
The launch of the campaign comes just after the publication of the Gambling Commission annual Gambling Survey for Britain at the start of this month, with data indicating that 2.7% of adults, roughly 1.4 million, scored an eight or above on the Problem Gambling Severity Index last year.
At the start of 2025, a controversial caveat placed on a National Gambling Helpline referral by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority was deleted.
The caveat, which appeared as part of the authority’s joint pilot scheme with Gambling with Lives, initially mentioned that the helpline and accompanying support network was commissioned by GambleAware, which receives donations from the gambling industry.
But following public backlash, first raised by Deal Me Out CEO Jordan Lea, the wording was changed to remove the reference.
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The post GamCare launches National Gambling Helpline ad campaign first appeared on EGR Intel.
Gambling charity releases 30-second online video to remind players support is available if they are suffering from gambling-related harm
The post GamCare launches National Gambling Helpline ad campaign first appeared on EGR Intel.