NatWest, one of the major British retail and commercial banks, is set to provide local problem gamblers with access to special counselling sessions in its branches across the country. The move comes as part of an innovative scheme aimed at helping gambling addicts that could be rolled out across the UK.
As part of the scheme, people who think they suffer from compulsive gambling behaviour will be given the chance to set appointments with GamCare experts in 13 NatWest branches. The consultation with the gambling charity experts will be available for all British residents, even if they are not customers of the bank.
As revealed by the popular high-street lender, the trial of the scheme is set to start in London and the south-east part of the country, the Midlands and East of England. If the service turns out to be successful, it could be officially rolled out in more of its branches. For the time being, there are 700 NatWest branches across the territory of the UK.
NatWest revealed that it was willing to help the authorities in their efforts to tackle spreading gambling addiction and gambling-related harm by using some of the floor space in its branches to provide people, who want to battle their gambling problems, with professional advice in a discreet and risk-free environment. As explained by one of the bank’s executives, some people might feel uncomfortable visiting an addiction centre, while NatWest is to offer consultations in an easily accessible and neutral environment.
According to the development director of GamCare, banks are in “a phenomenal position” to provide help and support to gambling addicts. He further noted that the new scheme that is being launched by NatWest would raise the gambling charity’s ability to get in contact with vulnerable people through the counselling locations across the bank’s branch network in the UK.
NatWest Will Also Offer Its Customers to Ban Gambling Transactions Through Its Mobile App
Apart from offering professional advice to gambling addicts in some of its retail branches, NatWest is to also join several other British banks such as Barclays, Monzo and Starling that allow their customers to suspend gambling transactions on their credit cards or bank accounts through the mobile applications of the lenders.
According to official data provided by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), for the time being, about 0.7% of the UK population, or approximately 340,000 people are classified as gambling addicts. A further 550,000 British residents have been found to be suffering moderate gambling-related harm. Even more people are currently found to be at risk of becoming problem gamblers.
Recent studies have also shown that gambling addiction costs the country’s economy hundreds of millions of pounds and is also associated with various other risks for the ones suffering from compulsive gambling, such as an increased risk of suicide. On the other hand, the relationship between gambling addiction and financial problems is a widely-discussed one, but unfortunately, there are still many questions about it that remain unanswered.
Nicky Morgan, who is the secretary of state for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), called for more banks to join the efforts of the Government and charity organisations and roll out similar partnerships in order to help customers deal with problem gambling. For the time being, the Government has insisted that all businesses linked to gambling must make sure they are socially responsible and use all means to make sure they help people manage their spending and protect them from potential risk associated with gambling addiction.
- Author
Daniel Williams
