Legal Casinos United Kingdom
YGAM — Young Gamblers Education Trust

Education Charity

YGAM — Young Gamblers Education Trust

YGAM delivers gambling and gaming harm education programmes in schools, colleges, and universities, working with young people aged 7 to 25 and the practitioners who support them.

About YGAM

The Young Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM) is a registered UK charity focused on preventing gambling harm through education rather than treatment. Founded in 2014, YGAM occupies a distinct position in the UK gambling harm ecosystem: where most charities focus on treatment and support for people already experiencing problems, YGAM concentrates on early intervention and prevention among young people before harmful patterns develop.

YGAM works with young people aged 7 to 25 in schools, pupil referral units, further education colleges, universities, and youth organisations across Great Britain. It trains teachers, youth workers, school counsellors, and social workers to deliver gambling and gaming harm awareness sessions using YGAM's curriculum-aligned materials.

The charity's scope has evolved to address the convergence of gambling and gaming. As video games have incorporated gambling-like mechanics — including loot boxes, in-app purchasing, skin gambling, and social casino games — YGAM has expanded its programmes to address these digital risks alongside traditional gambling forms such as sports betting, online casino games, and scratchcards.

Programmes and Resources

YGAM delivers structured education programmes across different age groups and settings. For secondary schools and colleges, YGAM offers curriculum-linked sessions covering how gambling works, the psychology of gambling (including fixed-odds mechanisms, near misses, and loss chasing), the legal framework around under-18 gambling, and where to get help.

For universities and higher education, YGAM delivers awareness sessions that address the elevated gambling risk profile of young adults — including sports betting, online poker, and casino apps — and the intersection of gambling with student financial pressures and social norms.

YGAM also provides free practitioner training, enabling teachers and youth workers to deliver gambling harm sessions independently using YGAM's validated resources, without needing YGAM present in the room. This model allows YGAM's reach to scale beyond the charity's direct capacity.

Contact & Get Help

YGAM is an education charity — not a helpline

If you or someone you know needs support with a gambling problem, contact the National Gambling Helpline: 0808 8020 133 (free, 24/7, operated by GamCare).

YGAM

ygam.org

Education charity · Schools, colleges & universities · Practitioner training

Gambling and gaming harm education for young people aged 7–25. Requests for school and college sessions, and practitioner training, available through ygam.org.

National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133

Free · 24 hours · 7 days

Operated by GamCare. For anyone experiencing gambling problems, of any age.

GamStop [email protected]

Email only · Free

National self-exclusion from all UKGC-licensed online gambling sites.

BeGambleAware 0808 8020 133

Routes to National Gambling Helpline

Gambling awareness charity with online self-help tools and treatment finder.

National Problem Gambling Clinic 020 7381 7722

NHS · Free · GP or self-referral

Specialist NHS clinic for gambling disorder. Accepts referrals from 16+.

Gamblers Anonymous

0330 094 0322

UK national number

Peer support meetings for gamblers and their families, across the UK.

Other UK Support Services

GamCare Helpline

0808 8020 133 · Free · 24/7

GamStop Self-Exclusion

Block all UKGC-licensed sites · Free

Gordon Moody Treatment

Residential programmes · UK-based

BeGambleAware

Self-help tools · Treatment finder

YGAM — Frequently Asked Questions

What is YGAM and what does it do?
YGAM stands for Young Gamblers Education Trust. It is a registered charity that delivers education programmes in schools, colleges, and universities to help young people understand the risks of gambling and gaming. YGAM does not operate a helpline or direct support service for individuals experiencing gambling problems — its focus is prevention through education, working with young people aged 7 to 25 and the professionals who work with them.
Is YGAM a helpline or treatment service?
No. YGAM is an education and prevention charity, not a helpline or treatment service. It does not offer counselling, crisis support, or self-exclusion schemes. For direct support with a gambling problem, contact GamCare (National Gambling Helpline: 0808 8020 133, free, 24/7), the National Problem Gambling Clinic (NHS specialist treatment), or Gamblers Anonymous (0330 094 0322).
Who does YGAM work with?
YGAM works primarily with young people aged 7 to 25 and the professionals who work with them — including teachers, youth workers, social workers, and college staff. The charity trains practitioners to deliver gambling harm awareness sessions and provides curriculum-aligned resources for schools, pupil referral units, colleges, and universities. YGAM also engages with parents and carers, and runs research into youth gambling behaviours.
Does YGAM address both gambling and gaming?
Yes. YGAM's remit covers both gambling harm and the harms associated with excessive gaming — including video games with gambling-like mechanics such as loot boxes, in-app purchases, and social casino games. As these boundaries have blurred, YGAM has extended its education programmes to cover gaming-related risks alongside traditional gambling, reflecting the realities young people face in a digital environment.
How is YGAM funded?
YGAM is funded primarily through the gambling industry's Research, Education and Treatment (RET) contributions, managed through GambleAware (formerly BeGambleAware). As with other UK gambling harm charities, its funding structure is under review as the UK moves toward a statutory levy on operators following the 2023 Gambling Act Review white paper.
Can schools or colleges request YGAM sessions?
Yes. Schools, colleges, universities, and youth organisations can contact YGAM directly to request educational sessions or practitioner training. YGAM provides in-person and online delivery of gambling and gaming harm awareness programmes, and offers free training for practitioners who want to deliver sessions independently using YGAM's materials. Information is available at ygam.org.