GamblePause is an independent social impact organisation dedicated to reducing gambling-related harm in Africa. It works across prevention, education, early intervention, and rehabilitation support, assisting individuals, families, and communities affected by gambling related harm. Founder Ladipo Abiose Akolade, expands on the vision driving GamblePause and what it means to be named Clarion Gaming Safer Gambling Charity Partner covering world-leading events ICE Barcelona, iGB Affiliate Barcelona and iGB L!VE London.

Can you start by providing an overview of what GamblePause is, where you operate and the organisation’s overarching mission? 

“I launched GamblePause having personally experienced gambling-related harm for nine-years. Our mission is to promote safer gambling behaviours, raise awareness of gambling-related harm, and provide accessible education, counselling, and rehabilitation pathways particularly for vulnerable populations. Our core aim is to empower individuals to make informed choices while influencing industry practice and public policy toward responsible gambling standards. We operate primarily in Nigeria, while also supporting individuals in Ghana, Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya through our virtual psychologist and online support services. We also collaborate with partners in the USA, Canada, and UK, who volunteer and provide training for our team to deliver standardised recovery services to clients. Our focus is on African countries experiencing rapid growth in online and youth gambling and the services span community outreach, digital education platforms, rehabilitation referrals, research collaboration and forging international partnerships. We are proud to be the first organisation in Africa to offer free gambling rehabilitation support, removing financial barriers to care and ensuring that help is accessible to those who need it most.

GamblePause is a very young charity – can you provide an overview of your work?

“We have evolved from a grassroots awareness initiative into an emerging regional voice on safer gambling in Africa. In the last 12-months milestones include reaching 5,500+ individuals through community awareness sessions, workshops, and digital campaigns, conducting 3,300+ one-to-one support interactions using our virtual psychological counselling and early-intervention services, reaching over 1,500 secondary school students, courtesy of awareness and debate competitions and undertaking 45 physical community group engagements a month. We have also delivered large-scale gambling awareness programmes at the University of Lagos reaching 11,000 students in April 2025 and a further 12,500 in December 2025. These sessions focused on gambling risk awareness and early warning signs, gambling harm prevention strategies and access to counselling, support, and rehabilitation pathways. 

What does it mean to be named Clarion Gaming charity partner?

“Make no mistake being named Clarion Gaming’s Safer Gambling Charity Partner is an historic milestone for everyone involved with GamblePause as well as serving as a powerful validation of our work. The partnership provides a global platform to amplify safer gambling messaging across Africa, it strengthens our credibility, and enables direct engagement with industry leaders to advance responsible and sustainable gambling practices. It’s huge for GamblePause and we can’t wait to launch the partnership in Barcelona!

 How do you intend to use the partnership?

“As a consequence of this partnership, we will be able to scale gambling-harm awareness campaigns across Africa, expand rehabilitation pathways, deliver evidence-informed safer gambling education for operators, regulators, and communities across Africa and internationally, engage policymakers and industry leaders to strengthen player-protection and harm-prevention policies across Africa and promote practical, preventative solutions that safeguard vulnerable groups.  All of this work is underpinned by a steadfast commitment to early intervention among young people.”

For more information on GamblePause visit: https://gamblepause.lovable.app