GambleAware, the leading charity commissioning prevention and treatment services for gambling harms​, has today unveiled a major new integrated campaign, created by Lucky Generals.



The new ‘Let’s Open Up About Gambling’ campaign aims to reduce the stigma surrounding gambling harms. It does this by bringing to life people’s experience of gambling harms and positions them as a public health concern in an effort to change societal perceptions and encourage affected individuals to seek support.

Latest figures from the annual National Gambling Treatment Service survey highlight 75% of people experiencing gambling problems feel like they can’t open up about the issue. Gambling harms – or the negative consequences of gambling – are a complex and growing public health learning, with data suggesting that among adults who gamble, one in five (21%) are at risk of experiencing problems due to their gambling.

While addressing stigma as a barrier to accessing support has been a priority for GambleAware across previous campaigns, this is the first time the charity has launched a campaign directly looking to tackle it within society.

The campaign, which will run throughout Great Britain from 13th April to 11th June, includes new creative across TV, video on demand, social media, a national PR launch and new partnerships. In addition, a new Self-Assessment Tool, developed by creative digital agency Flipside. has been launched on GambleAware’s website.

The new TV advert by Lucky Generals was co-created with individuals affected by gambling harms. It uses conceptual drawings to illustrate the difficult emotions caused by harms from gambling, such as feeling like your tied up in knots, unable to focus, or experiencing a heavy weight on your shoulders. These powerful visualisation effectively brings to life the impact of gambling harms, helping the public better understand the issue and encouraging empathy.

Find out more on Lucky Generals.