Ygam reaches 5M young people with gambling harm education

The Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust (Ygam) has achieved a landmark milestone, reaching an estimated five million children and young people across the United Kingdom through its growing portfolio of gambling and gaming harm prevention programmes. This achievement reflects over a decade of dedicated work by the charity to safeguard young people in an increasingly digital and high-risk online environment.

A decade of national impact

Founded in 2014, Ygam was established with a clear mission — to prevent gambling and gaming harms through education, awareness, and safeguarding initiatives. Over the past ten years, the organisation has grown into one of the UK’s most prominent charities in this field, providing training and educational resources to professionals, parents, and young people alike.

Through its national programmes, Ygam has now delivered its award-winning training and resources to more than 32,000 delegates across multiple sectors. These delegates include teachers, youth workers, and professionals responsible for supporting the welfare of young people across schools, community groups, and sports organisations.

The scale of Ygam’s outreach highlights the increasing need for preventive education on gambling and gaming harms, as children and teenagers continue to face unprecedented exposure to online risk factors, including loot boxes, social casinos, and gambling-like features embedded within video games.

Expanding reach across health and social care

Beyond the education sector, Ygam’s impact has extended into the health and social care landscape. Over 5,500 professionals working across hospitals, health boards, GP surgeries, and community nursing settings have received Ygam’s training on digital safeguarding and gambling harm prevention.

This cross-sector collaboration aligns with a public health approach, integrating gambling harm awareness into the broader conversation around digital wellbeing and youth mental health. As a result of this partnership-driven model, Ygam’s programmes have contributed to the digital safeguarding of nearly half a million children and young people accessing health services.

By ensuring that healthcare professionals are equipped to identify and respond to potential harm related to gaming and gambling behaviours, Ygam is helping embed prevention strategies into everyday clinical and community practice.

Supporting families and communities

Ygam’s influence also extends to the home environment, where parents and carers increasingly express concern about the overlap between gaming, gambling, and online safety. The charity has emerged as a trusted source of expert advice, providing practical tools for families to understand and mitigate risks.

To date, Ygam has delivered workshops to more than 4,500 parents and carers across the UK. These workshops focus on raising awareness of how gambling-style mechanics and in-game spending can influence children’s behaviour and financial habits. They also provide parents with strategies for fostering open conversations with their children about responsible digital use and the dangers of gambling harm.

Ygam’s growing role as a family support resource reflects an important shift in how society perceives gambling-related risk — not as an isolated issue but as part of a wider digital ecosystem that impacts mental health, financial wellbeing, and social development.

Nationwide presence and sustained engagement

Today, Ygam has established a footprint across every region of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The charity maintains an active presence in 64 of the UK’s 76 cities, delivering both in-person and online training sessions, school partnerships, and community-based programmes.

This broad geographical reach demonstrates the organisation’s ability to tailor its approach to regional needs while maintaining consistent national standards. In addition, Ygam’s work has seen a remarkable increase in longevity and engagement. Nearly 100,000 downloads of its award-winning resources have been recorded, with over half of participating educators integrating Ygam materials into their lessons or youth programmes.

This sustained use underscores the enduring relevance of Ygam’s educational content and the trust it has built among educators and youth practitioners nationwide.

Helen Martin: Education as a tool for empowerment

Helen Martin, Interim CEO of Ygam, expressed pride in the organisation’s achievements, emphasising that its success goes beyond numbers and statistics.

“This milestone is more than just a number – it’s a reflection of the positive impact we’re making in every corner of the UK. We’re incredibly proud of the growing community that shares our passion for safeguarding children’s wellbeing in an increasingly complex digital world, where gaming and gambling are more accessible than ever. From schools to sports clubs, parents to practitioners, and colleges to community centres, we’re raising awareness through the powerful tool of education. As we mark this extraordinary achievement, the demand for our resources has never been greater. We remain committed to expanding our reach and deepening our impact, ensuring that every child has the knowledge and confidence to navigate the risks of gaming and gambling harms.”

Martin’s statement reflects Ygam’s commitment to a collaborative model that brings together educational institutions, health professionals, families, and policymakers to tackle gambling harms at their root.

The importance of education in prevention

The charity’s educational philosophy centres on empowerment through knowledge. Rather than focusing solely on the consequences of gambling-related harms, Ygam seeks to equip young people with the critical thinking skills and digital resilience necessary to make informed decisions in online spaces.

By addressing both gaming and gambling in its curriculum, Ygam recognises the increasingly blurred boundaries between entertainment, spending, and risk-taking in digital environments. This dual-focus approach ensures that young people are prepared to recognise manipulative design patterns and understand the psychological triggers often used in games and gambling products.

In addition to school-based education, Ygam’s resources support professionals in developing interventions and teaching frameworks tailored to specific age groups, ensuring that prevention begins early and continues throughout adolescence.

Responding to evolving challenges

As technology advances, Ygam continues to evolve its strategies to address emerging forms of digital risk. The charity’s research and policy engagement have increasingly focused on the convergence between gaming, gambling, and social media, including the influence of microtransactions, influencer marketing, and simulated betting environments.

Ygam’s ongoing collaboration with universities, regulators, and industry stakeholders ensures that its programmes remain evidence-based and relevant to current digital trends. This forward-thinking approach allows the organisation to stay ahead of behavioural shifts among young audiences while contributing valuable insights to national discussions on gambling reform and digital safety legislation.

Looking ahead: Reaching the next five million

Despite its impressive achievements, Ygam maintains that its work is far from complete. The organisation continues to face rising demand for its programmes as public awareness of gambling harms grows. In light of these challenges, Ygam has announced plans to further expand its partnerships, increase access to online training, and develop new educational tools that can be adapted for international use.

In a call to action, the charity encourages supporters, educators, and policymakers to collaborate in helping reach the next five million young people. This forward-looking mission underlines the belief that prevention, when rooted in education, can have a lifelong impact on individual wellbeing and social resilience.

Conclusion

Ygam’s journey from a small educational initiative to a nationally recognised leader in gambling harm prevention represents a decade of dedication, collaboration, and measurable impact. By combining education, research, and community engagement, the charity has redefined how the UK addresses the risks associated with gaming and gambling among young people.

As digital entertainment continues to evolve, Ygam’s work remains vital in equipping the next generation with the knowledge, confidence, and resilience to navigate the online world safely. The charity’s milestone is not an endpoint but a powerful reminder of the transformative potential of education — and a call to continue building a safer, more informed future for all children and young people.

FAQs

What is Ygam?
Ygam (Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust) is a UK-based charity that works to prevent gaming and gambling harms through education and awareness programmes.

When was Ygam founded?
Ygam was founded in 2014 with the mission of safeguarding young people from the risks associated with gambling and gaming.

How many people has Ygam trained?
The charity has trained over 32,000 delegates, including educators, youth workers, and health professionals across the UK.

How many young people has Ygam reached?
Ygam has reached an estimated five million children and young people through its educational and prevention programmes.

What kind of training does Ygam provide?
Ygam provides award-winning training for professionals in education, healthcare, and social care, focusing on digital safeguarding and harm prevention.

Does Ygam work with families?
Yes, Ygam delivers workshops for parents and carers to help them understand gaming and gambling risks and how to discuss them with their children.

How does Ygam collaborate with healthcare professionals?
Ygam trains healthcare staff to identify and address gambling-related harm among young patients and integrate prevention into community health strategies.

What is Ygam’s approach to gambling harm prevention?
Ygam’s approach is based on education, aiming to empower young people with knowledge and resilience rather than focusing solely on risk avoidance.

Where is Ygam active?
Ygam operates across all regions of the UK, with a presence in 64 of the nation’s 76 cities, offering both in-person and online programmes.

What are Ygam’s future goals?
Ygam aims to reach another five million young people, expand international partnerships, and continue innovating in digital safety education.