GamblingCare.ie was established in March 2019, to broaden public understanding of safer gambling, and to help those that do develop problems, or their friends and family members, to get the support and help that they need, quickly and effectively. We provide advice, advocacy, and referrals to current support services to help people at all stages of the addiction process. We signpost individuals into dedicated support services across the country ranging from residential programmes, in-person counselling, online counselling, and support groups to self-help tools and resources that can help people overcome the impact of Problem Gambling and get their lives back on track.
Gambling Awareness Trust
GamblingCare is funded and administered by the Gambling Awareness Trust, an independent charity which funds research, education and treatment services to help minimise gambling-related harm in Ireland. This website offers support and information to those who are concerned about their own or another person’s gambling. By raising awareness of gambling-related harm we hope to help people make informed decisions about their gambling, understand and recognise problem gambling and know where to seek help.
The Gambling Awareness Trust charity is wholly funded by donations from the online and retail betting and gaming industry in Ireland. Gambling Awareness Trust is a grant-making and distribution body, not a service-provider. We work in partnership with other organisations, agencies and experts to help reduce and prevent gambling-related harm.

Our Goals

  • Ensuring approved, relevant and competent service providers have funding to provide addiction counselling, education and gambling awareness services in Ireland.
  • Commission and supervise comprehensive research in the area of gambling addiction and services available in Ireland, including an Irish Gambling Prevalence report.
  • Ensure GAT operates to the highest Governance standards Raise awareness of Responsible gambling and ensure people who choose to gamble make informed and sensible choices.
  • Raise awareness and increase the availability of problem gambling service providers.

Our Mission Statement

The Gambling Awareness Trust is an Independent charity that has been set up to establish and operate a charitable fund which will fund gambling addiction counselling, prevention, education, research and awareness services in Ireland.

Our Values

  • Integrity – We will act in an honest and consistent manner in everything that we do. The integrity of our members will be visible through our actions, words, decisions, methods, and outcomes. We will never compromise the truth.
  • Accountability – We are committed to being fully accountable and transparent about how financial donations to the Trust are used and to ensuring all funds are being applied effectively to help prevent and overcome gambling addiction.
  • Collaboration – We will passionately work with all stakeholders and will strive collectively to achieve the highest levels of professional excellence.
  • Equality – We believe in the equal value of every human being and the importance of respecting and honouring each person;
  • Respect - We treat our board members, partners, service providers and suppliers with mutual respect and sensitivity, recognizing the importance of diversity. We respect all individuals and value their contributions.

Board of Directors

Gambling Awareness Trust - Board of Directors
Tom Hayes

Chair of Gambling Awareness Trust, Tom Hayes – Former Fine Gael Minister of State for Agriculture

Tom served as a TD for the Tipperary-South constituency from 2001 to 2016. He was a Senator for the Agricultural panel from 1997 to 2001. Tom also served as Chairman of the Fine Gael parliamentary party from September 2002 to March 2010. He was the Fine Gael party deputy spokesperson on Transport, with responsibility for Road Safety from October 2010 to March 2011.

Tom brings his experience of policy-making, media-relations and political savvy to the board of Gambling Awareness Trust.

Kathleen Lynch

Kathleen Lynch – Former Minister of State at the Department of Health

She was appointed Minister with special responsibility for Disability, Mental Health and Older People in March 2011. In July 2014, she assumed responsibility for Primary Care while retaining responsibility for Mental Health, Disability and Older People under the Social Care element of her portfolio. She retained these positions until the change of Government in 2016.

During that time, she was accountable for an annual budget of €1.5 billion. She introduced a number of reforms in the area of mental health legislation, and led a number of initiatives to drive up standards of care.

Kathleen brings to the board a wealth of experience in dealing with diverse groups and organisations.

Willie Collins

Willie Collins is one of Ireland’s foremost and experienced addiction experts. He has established and directed several residential and outpatient treatment programmes dealing with addiction to alcohol, drugs and gambling. In July 2014 Willie was appointed by the Irish Government to the National Advisory Committee on Drugs, where he works on the research and development of government policy.

Willie has worked with organisations consistently over the years as an advocate for offering people in recovery an opportunity for rehabilitation. He is an accredited member of ACI (Addiction Counsellors of Ireland) and the former CEO and Clinical Director of Aiséirí Rehabilitation Centres. He is the former Regional Manager of the Cork and Kerry Drug and Alcohol Services where he set up the regional task force on Drugs.

John Forde – Former Garda Superintendent and Private Secretary to the Garda Commissioner.

John has many years’ experience in Policing both in the Operational and Management of the organisation. This experience includes working in cooperation with high level Management in Government Department and external Police Services in the development of policies and procedures in An Garda Siochana.

In his role in Human Resource Management, he was at the forefront in the introduction and development of the Garda Employee Assistance in the Garda Organisation.

As a former Regional Operational Manager with the Central Statistics Office together with his Garda experience John is very familiar with the challenges involved in the delivery of Public Services He lends his expertise in Public and Industrial Relations to the board of Gambling Awareness Trust.

Noel Waters

Noel Waters – former Secretary General Department of Justice and Equality

Former Director General, Irish Immigration and Nationality Service.
Career civil servant for 40 years with multiple other roles in the Department of Justice.
Post retirement roles include; Vice Chair Public Service Credit Union, Chair of Audit Committee.
Independent chairman of Public Appointments Service interview boards for senior public service appointments.
Chair of Department of Housing Audit Committee.

Michael Culhane

Michael Culhane – former Executive Director of Finance and Services with An Garda Síochána

Michael Culhane previously held the position of Executive Director of Finance and Services with An Garda Síochána and has extensive experience of working with other public service agencies including government departments He has wide ranging experience of chairing and working with audit committees, management and implementation of transformational programmes. He has held senior commercial financial positions in Ireland, Belgium and England. Michael is active in the NGO area and is a director of another charitable organisation in the mental health area and chairs its audit committee.

He holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree, MSc Degree in Innovation Management and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland.

Governance

Gambling Awareness Trust is committed to maintaining the highest standards of governance to ensure full transparency in how we operate.

Gambling Awareness Trust is registered with the The Governance Code working group and is on the journey to achieving the Code of Practice for Good Governance of Community, Voluntary and Charitable Organisations in Ireland. You can learn more about the governance code here www.governancecode.ie.

Our governance journey

  • We are registered with and have began our journey towards compliance with the Charities Governance Code as set out by the Charities Regulator in 2018,
  • We have adopted the use of Charities SORP (FRS102) in our financial statements,
  • We are registered with The Wheel, Ireland’s national association of community and voluntary organisations, charities and social enterprises, and
  • We fully embrace the work of the Charities Regulatory Authority.

GAT Subscribers

We hope that all companies involved in the gambling industry in Ireland will contribute to the funding of GAT . Irish bookmakers and some online gambling operators have already provided funding, but we hope and expect that other companies that benefit from gambling, will also contribute. If you would like to contribute to GAT, please contact [email protected].

We hope the funding provided will continue to grow so that GAT can provide a comprehensive and effective service to prevent, reduce and treat problem gambling and gambling addiction in Ireland.

Subscribers to the GAT fund 2022 so far are;