GambleAware has launched a new harm-prevention app in response to recent research that shows 18-24-year-olds are twice as likely to want to reduce or quit gambling compared to other age groups.
The new app, the GambleAware Support Tool, offers free and anonymous support to users of all ages looking to either quit gambling entirely or reduce their playing activity.
It has been developed with the aim of halting the rise in gambling-related harm and enables those using the app to set their own personal goals.
Users who download the app are able to track their activity by logging the frequency and spend of their gambling.
In turn, the app is able to help users make more informed decisions in their own bid to reduce or stop gambling altogether.
According to the 2024 Treatment and Support survey carried out by GambleAware, 29% of 18-24-year-olds want to either slow their gambling activity or stop entirely, whereas that figure sits at 15% for other age demographics.
Since launching, the app has seen 48% of all users aged between 18 and 24 indicate that their motivation to change their gambling habits stems from wanting to save money, as well as 27% looking to ‘feel happier’.
In 2023, GambleAware produced an Audience Segmentation report as part of the discovery phase of the Support Tool app development, which found that 4.5 million people wished reduce or quit gambling, with 93% of that group aiming to do so without relying on a treatment service.
The charity said those findings highlight the importance of offering informal self-help support via the app, as it looks to aid players looking to reduce or quit gambling independently.
The Support Tool offers users a personalised experience and was developed in line with Lower Risk Gambling Guidelines (LRGG), a system created by industry experts via a project that included analysing data provided by 60,000 people from eight different countries.
The LRGG outlines three rules users should look to follow in a bid to reduce the risk of harm while continuing to gamble, such as gambling no more than 1% of your income and only gambling a maximum of four days per month.
It also suggests players avoid more than two different types of gambling per month.
GambleAware outlined that its new app is the only one in Great Britain to use the LRGG system.
Alexia Clifford, GambleAware chief communications officer, explained: “Whether individuals want to reduce, manage or stay gamble-free, the GambleAware Support Tool is here every step of your journey.
“The digital age means we essentially have a casino in our pocket, and we know increased accessibility leads to increased participation and therefore increased risk of harm.
“These harms are a growing public health issue, but early intervention is key, and the GambleAware Support Tool app is designed to give people a timely insight into their gambling, with the aim of supporting their journey to reducing or quitting their activity.”
The post GambleAware launches new app following young people gambling report first appeared on EGR Intel.
Charity unveils the Support Tool App that has already seen 48% of younger users outline their reasons for wanting to curb how much and how often they bet
The post GambleAware launches new app following young people gambling report first appeared on EGR Intel.