One of the biggest retail and commercial banks in the UK, NatWest, has confirmed that the pilot scheme for the provision of gambling counselling support would be expanded across the bank’s network in the country.
In 2019, NatWest joined forces with GamCare and rolled out its gambling-related “walk-in consultation” in 13 of its branches operating in the Midlands and the country’s South East region. At the time when the Scheme was officially launched, the management of NatWest explained that the measure was unveiled as it was one of the bank’s duties to help UK health services and the communities that have been trying to tackle growing problem gambling issues.
Now, after the success of the so-called walk-in consultations, the Chief Executive of RBS Group, Alison Rose, confirmed that the retail and commercial bank intends to expand the pilot programme as one of the leading initiatives of NatWest for 2020. Ms Rose praised the GamCare for its support and overall collaboration with the bank, saying that the scheme had delivered actual benefits for individuals who have taken advantage of the service. She also highlighted that the scheme’s mandate of becoming a “first point of contact” when it comes to gambling treatment and support had been fulfilled in all the 13 test branches.
The two parties will continue working together and will consider what strategy to use to expand the scheme across the entire bank office network of NatWest in the future.
The Problem Gambling Counselling Scheme Was First Launched in 13 NatWest Branches
As Casino Guardian reported, in September 2019, NatWest gave the green light to the test scheme as part of which it provided local gambling addicts with access to special counselling sessions aimed at helping them deal with their compulsive gambling habits. The move was made as part of an innovative scheme targetting especially problem gamblers in the UK.
The scheme that was unveiled in collaboration between NatWest and GamCare was implemented in 13 of the bank’s branches, where consultation with gambling charity experts is available for everyone who thinks they have a problem with compulsive gambling. Such consultation is available at NatWest’s offices for all residents of the UK, regardless of the fact whether they are customers of the bank.
The scheme was initially given a start in London, as well as in the Midlands, the East part of England and the South-East part of the country. At the time when the experimental consultations were launched, the bank promised that it would roll out the program to the rest of its branches should it turned out to be successful.
The fact that the gambling addiction counselling service is provided to individuals in a discreet and risk-free environment has been one of the greatest advantages of the programme, according to NatWest, because customers might be more comfortable rather than when visiting an addiction centre.
- Author
Olivia Cole
