UK Allocates £25.4 Million for Gambling Harm Prevention

(AsiaGameHub) –   The UK government has announced its inaugural significant prevention grants funded by the statutory gambling levy, with a provisional allocation of £25.4 million earmarked for 33 organizations across England for the 2026–2028 period. This funding is part of the levy’s prevention initiative, which has accumulated nearly £120 million to date.

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Key Details

• A provisional sum of £25,441,281 has been distributed among 33 voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) groups.
• Major provisional beneficiaries include GamCare, YGAM, and Betknowmore.
• An additional £12 million is designated for upper-tier local authorities for the 2026–2027 period.

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Distribution of Levy Funds Commences

GamCare is the largest recipient in this initial round of prevention funding, set to receive £4.04 million. YGAM is allocated £3.0 million, and Betknowmore is slated for £2.99 million. BetBlocker is also included with £1.12 million, while remaining grants vary between approximately £140,000 and £1.3 million. These awards are currently provisional pending the finalization of grant agreements.

The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) stated that these funds were awarded following a closed application process, evaluated against established criteria and subject to due diligence. Organizations were required to disclose any conflicts of interest and commit to ending direct industry funding, with the exception of National Lottery and social lottery contributions.

These grants are intended to support prevention and resilience initiatives rather than clinical treatment. OHID noted that the objective is to foster equitable, innovative prevention strategies and assist organizations in developing sustainable projects. Concurrently, NHS England is managing a separate grant program for VCSEs focused on treatment services.

Further funding is planned for the local level. The government confirmed that £12 million from the same levy will be provided to upper-tier local councils for the 2026–2027 financial year, with a subsequent £12 million anticipated for 2027–2028.

The broader framework is also significant. Under the statutory levy system, OHID oversees prevention funding, the majority of resources are directed toward treatment and support, and research is managed via UK Research and Innovation. This structure replaces the previous voluntary funding model.

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