GambleAware to open applications for Gambling Commission System Stabilisation Fund
The charity received funds from the Gambling Commission to see it through the transition to a mandatory levy.
UK.- The responsible gambling charity and grant-making body GambleAware has launched an invitation to apply for funding through the new System Stabilisation Fund established by the British Gambling Commission.
The British regulator announced the creation of the fund last month, ring fencing £32,844,197 for the initiative. It aims to provide stability for gambling harm bodies amid the expected transition from voluntary gambling industry funding to funding via a mandatory levy on gambling revenue.
Funded through regulatory settlements reached by the regulator, the initiative aims to support bodies in England, Scotland and Wales whose funding could be disrupted by the transition to statutory levy. It will cover the current financial year ending March 31, 2024 as a short-term measure.
A mandatory levy on gambling revenue to support gambling harm research, treatment and prevention was included as a proposed measure in the UK government’s gambling white paper. However, the amount and mechanics of the levy have not yet been defined.
Larger operators currently donate a minimum of 0.1 per cent of gross gambling yield (GGY) to GambleAware each year, while operators with annual GGY of under £250,000 are encouraged to donate £250.
Funding applications
Organisations that apply for the funds must demonstrate a commitment to GambleAware’s strategic framework outcomes, which include increasing awareness and understanding of gambling risks, preventing gambling harm and the escalation of harm, ensuring individuals and communities receive a range of services and reducing the legacy of gambling harm.
GambleAware said applicants must show evidence of their need for the funding and their delivery model and approach, potential outcomes and impact, value for money and long-term sustainability. The first application window will run from August 7 to 12, with successful applicants to be notified by mid-September. A second round of applications will be opened from November 6 to 20.
GambleAware CEO Zoë Osmond said: “We welcome plans for a statutory levy and look forward to its swift implementation. However, this has led to a period of change as industry and the gambling harms research, prevention and treatment sector prepare to transition to the proposed levy.
“Our role as strategic commissioner across the sector means we are able to apply a single overview of the system. With this oversight we and the Gambling Commission recognise the uncertainty across the sector and the need to ensure current projects can continue without any risk of experiencing a funding shortfall.”
GambleAware received £430,813 in donations and pledges in the first quarter of the 2023-24 financial year. This was a drop of 1.1 per cent compared to April to June last year. It received £317,099 in Research, Education and Treatment contributions from operators and £113,714 in non-RET donations coming from unclaimed winnings or funds in inactive accounts. All of the non-RET donations came from 888.
There were no contributions from regulatory settlements in the quarter. The largest donation in the quarter came from BetFred (£50,000). Games Global donated £35,000, Star Racing £28,916, Betway £25,000, and Virgin Bet £22,836. The Postcode Lottery donated £18,708 and LiveScore £15,574. None of the largest operators made donations in Q1, but they tend to make their contributions at the end of the financial year. GambleAware donations for the 2022-23 financial year reached £46.5m.
