New gambling helpline to launch in Wales
The Wales Gambling Helpline will be funded by the new UK gambling levy.
UK.- Wales will see the launch of a new NHS-run specialist gambling treatment service alongside a dedicated helpline. The service will launch on April 1.
The Wales Gambling Helpline will offer advice, information and assistance to anyone affected, including family members and others impacted. Where necessary, callers will be referred directly into treatment services, which will be accessible through a secure online platform to enable remote support.
The Welsh Government has allocated £1.3m annually to Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to operate both the helpline and treatment service. Funding will come from the new UK gambling levy, introduced in April 2025, which raised around £120m in its first year to support research, prevention and treatment across Great Britain.
Sarah Murphy, Wales’ Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, hailed the initiative as a “landmark moment,” noting that it will provide vital support to tens of thousands of people at risk of gambling-related harm.
She said: “This is a landmark moment marking the first time specialist gambling treatment and support services will be available from the NHS in Wales. The helpline will be a form of open access support available to people who need it the most and fits into the ambitions of our Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy.
“Guided by the evidence, we’re confident this approach is the most effective way to deliver essential support for both prevention and treatment.”
Dr Faye Graver, clinical lead for gambling treatment services at Betsi Cadwaladr, said: “We are establishing a specialist gambling treatment service and the Wales Gambling Helpline to provide much-needed support for people struggling with gambling addiction.
“They will provide the necessary support, advice and information not only to people experiencing gambling-related harms, but also their family members and others affected. Research shows tens of thousands of people in Wales need support for gambling related harms and this treatment service will provide this from referral and triage through to aftercare.”
The health board already operates national helplines such as DAN 24/7 for drugs and alcohol and CALL for mental health, giving it established infrastructure in both English and Welsh to deliver the new services.
Public Health Wales has been appointed as lead prevention co-ordinator for use of gambling levy funds in Wales, while NHS Wales Performance and Improvement will oversee treatment pathways. Public Health Wales will launch a prevention grant scheme in April, while NHS Wales will work with health boards to identify opportunities for voluntary, community, and social enterprise organisations to contribute to treatment provision.
