Men’s Minds Matter has launched its We’re Losing More Than Money campaign, coinciding with this year’s Grand National to raise awareness of the link between gambling and suicide.
The Grand National will be the biggest day of betting in the UK all year, with some bookies predicting that as much as £200 million could be placed on the race at Aintree.
However, problem gambling is on the up and is thought to be linked to up to 496 suicides a year in the UK, according to Public Health England and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities.
Suicide prevention charity Men’s Minds Matter has calculated the real probability that a gambling-related suicide will occur on any given day, expressed in the form of bookmakers’ odds through its new campaign.
This is illustrated by mock gambling adverts on posters, out-of-home, print and social.
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The charity’s campaign was created by Media Bounty, with ad space donated by Uncle and Open Media and pre and post-campaign research conducted by Savanta.
All work on the campaign was done on a pro bono basis.
Men’s Minds Matter director and Media Bounty senior copywriter Tommy Lee said: “There’s nothing wrong with the odd Saturday accumulator, but for more and more people the fun stopped long ago”.
“Gambling is everywhere we look, from ads plastered all over football stadiums, to 24/7 casino access on our phones.”
“There needs to be more awareness that gambling is not just a game for so many people. From financial ruin to mental health issues – what starts as a laugh can become a real problem with real consequences.”
