Summary
- Ygam's latest report indicates that the charity's increasing efforts are yielding positive results.
- Approximately 10,000 individuals who work with young people have received training to identify and address gambling-related harm.
- Ninety-seven percent of individuals who have completed the charity's training would recommend it to a colleague.
Ygam, a charity dedicated to training individuals to recognize and address gambling-related harm, has released a new report evaluating its effectiveness and achievements. From January 2024 to March 2025, Ygam successfully trained nearly 10,000 individuals (9,448 people) and reached about 1.3 million children and young people across the United Kingdom. This is one of the organization's highest outreach numbers since it began its initiatives in 2014.
Ygam paves the path forward for protecting young people and children
Ygam is dedicated to combating gambling-related harm among young people and has made concerted efforts to maintain its focus on this goal. To achieve its objectives, Ygam provides comprehensive training sessions for those who work with children. Crucially, Ygam has prioritized the analysis of big data and the use of evidence-based practices to drive its initiatives, ensuring the effectiveness and sustainability of its approach in the long term. Recent findings indicate that Ygam is successfully meeting its objectives. The organization uses independent third-party evaluations, post-training feedback, delegate testimonials, and other feedback channels to verify this success. Helen Martin, Ygam's Interim Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer, expressed satisfaction with the latest report, which underscores the organization's leadership in harm prevention and its establishment of best practices for safeguarding young people. I’m thrilled with the progress we've made in evaluating our efforts. While our reach figures are impressive, they represent just one aspect of the significant impact we are achieving. By committing time and resources to rigorous evaluation, we ensure our programs are not only evidence-based but also exemplify top standards and deliver lasting impact. The 2024/2025 Impact Report highlights key achievements, surpassing previous results. According to Ygam, they reached 1,324,416 young people during the latest survey period. The organization reported over 1 million social media impressions, marking a 322% increase from 2023. Importantly, participants were instrumental in driving positive change, with 97% stating they would recommend the charity’s training sessions to a colleague. Additionally, the same percentage of participants expressed increased confidence in recognizing signs of problem gambling. Half of the teachers and youth workers who underwent training reported successfully integrating Ygam's materials into their classrooms and work environments.
Report results hailed by lawmakers
Baroness Twycross, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, has praised the achievements of Ygam, as detailed in their recent report. I am pleased to receive this report, which underscores Ygam’s crucial role in educating over one million young people on leading safer digital lives. As the gambling minister, one of my main priorities is to enhance protections for those most vulnerable to harmful gambling. I look forward to working with Ygam to continue creating a safer online environment for young people, remarked Twycross.
