The chatrooms will focus on key themes and discussions, featuring guest speakers with lived experiences of problem gambling.
The new sessions will take place every weekday, starting on 31 July. The sessions will run from 6pm-7pm, with a different theme every day. Each theme will cover a different topic on a week-by-week basis.
Various themes
The daily themes will include “time”on Mondays – discussing the amount of time people spend gambling and the associated harms. Tuesdays will focus on “wellbeing”, including impacts on mood, mental health and other issues. The topic on Wednesdays will be “money”.
Thursdays will offer the opportunity to speak with others with experience of gambling harms. Trained helpline advisers or online support practitioners will also be on hand. Finally, Fridays will focus on “relationships”.
The new structure will repeat on a four-week cycle.
Individuals can join the chatrooms by registering online and they can remain anonymous.
Alongside the newly themed chatrooms, GamCare has also relaunched its women’s chatroom with similarly structured sessions designed especially to support the specific needs of women.
GamCare’s National Gambling Helpline is available all day every day on the phone or via live chat.
Funding
In April, GamCare secured funding for an additional three years from GambleAware.
The funds will enable GamCare to continue to run the helpline, which it has operated for more than 25 years.
When the funding was announced, GamCare said there would be an increased focus on offering more accessibility and choice.
GamCare also said that it would use the funding to enhance its digital tools and resources that complement the helpline.
The charity also plans to boost regional services and treatment across various UK regions. These include London, Yorkshire and the Humber, Scotland, the South East, the East Midlands and the North East.
Original article: https://igamingbusiness.com/social-responsibility/problem-gambling/gamcare-chatrooms/
