Many corporations seek to ensure they are being socially responsible. This could range from ensuring they are carbon neutral, offsetting their carbon output financially or physically. They may take part in community projects, such as donating books or equipment to schools. Some companies encourage and facilitate staff to take time out of the office to plant trees, picking litter, or volunteer at foodbanks. This is all very admirable, but arguably it is the least they can do. Putting back into the local community that undoubtedly supplies them with employees and customers is clearly the right thing to do.
Gambling companies and Charity
Gambling companies in particular fall under scrutiny. Since their purpose is to take cash from customers in exchange for entertainment and the prospect of winning considerable prizes, gaming operators can quite easily tempt vulnerable people to spend beyond their means. Whilst a huge amount of effort is placed on protecting underage and vulnerable players with betting limits, deposit limits and time limits there are still, inevitably, stories of gambling victims. With this darker side in mind, many gaming companies seek to promote themselves as socially responsible and community minded. It would perhaps be assumed that charitable donations for gambling research and protection organisations would top the list for gaming company action points.
The UK gambling industry under donating
However, in the UK in 2019 GambleAware reported that the industry had donated 9.6 million pounds. Shockingly some of these “donators” had given only a few pounds! These companies had still had their company names placed on the donors list so it seems the act was purely for kudos. In 2005 bookmakers, and online gaming companies in the UK had agreed to voluntarily donate 0.1% of profits. Had the targets been met this would have resulted in over 14 million pounds in donations. The deficit has resulted in Gamble Aware accusing gaming companies of failing to honor their promises to donate adequately to gambling addiction charities.
Grand National Charity Donation
However, this is not to tarnish all companies with the same brush. Some gaming companies had given to other charitable causes. The Grand National in 2020 is a good example of some rallying together for charitable causes. The real life Grand National race was cancelled due to corona virus. In its place, a virtual race was televised to the nation. Bookies banded together and agreed to donate all race profits to the NHS. This act of charity included major betting companies bet365, William Hill, SkyBet, Betway, Bet Victor, GVC, BetFred and others. Stakes were limited to 10GBP per bet and 4.8million viewers tuned in for the virtual grand national on itv. The race generated 2.6million pounds for NHS charities. Recipient charities included Prostate Cancer UK, Marie Curie, The Careworkers Charity, and the Berkshire Community Foundation Coronavirus Fund.
In the US in 2017 it was reported that over $367 million was donated to charity from 168 casino companies around the country. It was also reported that casino staff were given support and opportunity to volunteer for charity too. This charitable attitude of US casinos surely puts European gambling sector to shame.
Why not check your favorite online casino brand’s website to see which charities they are supporting and why. You can see an A-Z list of popular and best online casinos brands here.
