Monica Shafaq has joined gambling harm prevention tool BetBlocker as its new Director of Strategy and Partnerships, bringing extensive sector experience to the role.
Duncan Garvie, the founder of BetBlocker, made the announcement via LinkedIn, confirming Shafaq’s appointment and outlining the responsibilities she will take on.
Shafaq previously served as Chief Executive Officer at Gordon Moody, a prominent UK charity specialising in gambling harm treatment, before departing from that role in October 2025.
Her leadership career also includes over 13 years as Chief Executive of Kaleidoscope Plus Group, a mental health and wellbeing organisation, between March 2010 and January 2024.
She also maintains non-executive involvement with several organisations, including the Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester United Foundation, and Sporting Equals.
Her background in football-related charity work further strengthens her profile as someone with broad community and wellbeing credentials across the UK.
BetBlocker was awarded £1.12 million as part of the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities’ first round of statutory levy funding, a significant milestone for the platform.
Garvie noted that Shafaq had already been contributing to the organisation ahead of her formal appointment, playing a key role in securing that funding outcome.
He said: “Over the last six months, Monica has been supporting BetBlocker, working with us to improve our funding applications, build out our strategic positioning, and grow our relationships with the right stakeholders in the UK.”
BetBlocker confirmed that developing stakeholder relationships across the UK will be central to Shafaq’s remit as the gambling harms sector adapts to changes brought about by the statutory levy.
BetBlocker said on LinkedIn: “Monica’s background and experience both in leadership positions, and her focus on gambling harm, make her uniquely qualified for this role.”
The organisation added that following the OHID funding confirmation, covering the next two years, building the right strategic partnerships has become a clear priority for the project.
Despite celebrating the funding win, Garvie was candid about the broader impact on other organisations that were unsuccessful in the same funding round.
He said: “As proud as I feel about the award, the last few weeks have been very bittersweet for me. So many important organisations, delivering high-quality services, were unsuccessful in securing funding. These decisions have real-world consequences and present potentially existential challenges for those organisations.”
BetBlocker was founded by Garvie with the purpose of helping bettors struggling with problematic gambling behaviour, and Shafaq’s appointment marks a significant step forward for the platform’s long-term ambitions.
