BetBlocker is delighted to announce that it has made a donation to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in support of the International Gaming Institute’s (IGI) research program.  This contribution will help advance academic research on gambling blocking software and its users. This marks a pioneering collaboration between a blocking software provider and an internationally renowned academic institute specialising in gambling research.  Both organizations envision this research generating transformative insights that will help inform evidence-based policies, enhance player protection measures, and contribute to the broader public good.

Pedro Romero, Chief of SG Partnerships at BetBlocker enthused: “We are very happy to collaborate with UNLV IGI and Dr. Ghaharian’s research team on this project. This is our first research collaboration in the U.S., and we are delighted to support a study that provides genuine insights into the role of free and anonymous blocking software in harm prevention and minimisation. Helping with this research is in line with our values of enhancing safer gambling tools and reducing gambling-related harm. In a sector where we often see reports commissioned to research consultancy companies at great expense to validate commercial products, we believe in supporting independent research: critical, objective, peer-reviewed, and academically rigorous.”

Director of Research at the International Gaming Institute, Kasra Ghaharian, PhD commented: “Gaining a better understanding of individuals who use gambling blocking software is critical, as there is little to no published research on this population,” said Kasra Ghaharian, Director of Research at IGI. ” We are truly grateful to BetBlocker for their support, which will help advance research in this area while also providing valuable opportunities for graduate students to develop their skills. I can’t wait for us to share the insights from this important work, which will be valuable to operators, policymakers, and the public”.

When asked about his hopes for the research project, Founder and Trustee of BetBlocker, Duncan Garvie stated: “For the first 4 years of the project, I delivered the user technical support for BetBlocker. I’ve interacted with thousands of people using the tool and I know how much of a difference it has made to a huge number of lives. But that type of anecdotal validation isn’t enough in this day and age. Effectiveness has to be evidenced and we’re very supportive of academic efforts to gather evidence to examine how the availability of a free, anonymous blocking software improves outcomes for user.”

It is with great pride that, after months of work, BetBlocker can announce the launch of a dedicated US division of its charity, BetBlocker US, Inc. 

BetBlocker has become synonymous in the UK and Europe with providing entirely anonymous gambling blocking software, at no charge, to tens of thousands of users every day. Now it will focus on extending the protections it can offer to US residents, helping to manage their gambling habits responsibly. This can only be viewed as a massive step forward for safer gambling practices in the US. BetBlocker’s market coverage continues apace.

BetBlocker can now confirm its registration as a 501(c) Non-profit Organisation in Delaware, allowing it to aid in the state’s vision of enriching the lives of everyone.  It is the intention of the charity to expand on the support services that it already offers in North America. Support is already available to speakers of English and Spanish, and in the near future, the app will also launch in Chinese, which is currently in development. In offering support services in these 3 languages, BetBlocker addresses the needs of the speakers of the top 3 used languages in the US. Another 17 languages are already available for users of the app.

The launch of BetBlocker’s American division coincides with the exciting confirmation that the Colorado Lottery has chosen to signpost BetBlocker to users of its official website.   A link to the BetBlocker app can be accessed from the Know Your Limits section of their website.

When asked about the charity’s recent expansion into the US, Founder and Trustee of BetBlocker, Duncan Garvie, commented:

“BetBlocker’s pioneering free support has been minimising harm for tens of thousands of people all over the world for close to a decade now. By establishing the US arm of the charity, it is our hope that we can raise the profile of the service in North America and support tens of thousands more people in the coming years.

It is my strong belief that pay walls between users and support for gambling harm create a barrier that ensures that the most vulnerable, and the least able to pay, are the least able to access support. Free support is essential, and I’m confident that in the coming years we will be there for hundreds of thousands of people across the North American continent, that would otherwise struggle to manage their gambling.”

BetBlocker received the prestigious Jim Wuelfing Annual Award for Prevention at this year’s National Council on Problem Gambling Awards on Friday the 19^th of July, which was received by the charity’s Chief of Safer Gambling Partnerships, Pedro Romero.

The award, which was named after a famed trainer and advocate for the prevention of problem gambling in the United States, recognises people or organisations who have advocated for the inclusion of prevention strategies in the spectrum of problem gambling services, developed effective prevention programs and who have worked to help problem gambling prevention programs reached underserved and at-risk groups.

This award comes off of the back of years of work by the BetBlocker team to deliver an effect and free blocking software that can be used anonymously by anyone, anywhere in the world. As well as a traditional blocking software product, intended for use after a crisis, BetBlocker is the only blocking software to offer a Calendaring feature, allowing users to plan ahead and set the block to switch on during known periods of vulnerability.

Alongside these features, BetBlocker has translated its services into 6 non-English languages with many more to come, to help minority communities access support that would otherwise be unavailable to them.

Founder of the charity, Duncan Garvie, had this to say about the award: “Recognition of BetBlocker’s work within the problem gambling space by the NCPG, one of the most influential voices within the sector, is amongst the highest possible accolades our organisation could receive.

I speak for the entire BetBlocker team when I say how deeply honoured we are to receive this award.”

Pedro Romero added the following: “It was incredibly humbling at the NCPG conference this year to speak to so many of the harm minimisation organisation in the USA that are already referring there service users to BetBlocker. Running an anonymous service and we don’t interact with our used frequently it’s easy to lose sight of just how many people are positively impacted by the support we offer.”