Statutory levy allocates £39.7m to gambling harm prevention groups
The expanded funding programme highlights the growing role of public bodies in directing gambling harm prevention spending.
Key takeaways
- OHID has provisionally allocated £39.7m to 40 voluntary and community sector organisations for 2026-27 and 2027-28.
- The funding comes from the prevention element of the statutory gambling levy and exceeds the £25.4m initially allocated earlier in 2026.
- GamCare received the largest provisional award of just over £4m, followed by Chapter One (£3.06m), YGAM (£3m), Betknowmore (£2.99m) and Gamban (£2.71m).
- Gamban’s inclusion reverses its omission from the original funding round and has enabled the restoration of free access to its gambling-blocking software in England and Wales.
- Funding awarded to Gambling With Lives and its Chapter One initiative has sparked debate within parts of the gambling industry over the role of advocacy groups in the levy-funded system.
The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities has provisionally allocated £39.7m to 40 organisations as part of the UK’s new statutory gambling harms funding framework. The grants, funded through the prevention element of the gambling levy, mark a significant expansion of support for prevention initiatives and illustrate how responsibility for funding distribution has shifted from the previous voluntary model to public sector oversight.
UK.- The UK Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) has provisionally allocated £39.7m to 40 voluntary and community sector organisations to support gambling harm prevention initiatives in England over the 2026-27 and 2027-28 financial years. Funded through the prevention element of the statutory UK gambling levy, the grants were announced on November 7, 2026, and represent an increase from the £25.4m initially earmarked for 33 organisations when the programme was first outlined earlier this year.
The largest provisional award has been allocated to GamCare, which runs the UK’s National Gambling Helpline. It will receive just over £4m. Other major recipients include Chapter One with £3.06m, YGAM with £3m, Betknowmore with £2.99m, Waythrough with £2.77m and gambling-blocking software provider Gamban with £2.71m. Final funding amounts remain subject to completed grant agreements and could still change.
Other recipients include Citizens Advice branches, community groups, youth-focused charities, organisations supporting women and age-related services, as well as groups specialising in addiction-related issues. The OHID said the fund is intended to strengthen the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector, support sustainable gambling harm prevention projects and encourage independent, evidence-based public health work.
Applications were accepted between January 14, 2026 and February 6, 2026, before being assessed against published eligibility criteria and subjected to due diligence checks. Applicants were required to disclose potential conflicts of interest and agree not to receive direct funding from the gambling industry after April 1, 2026, with exemptions applying only to the National Lottery and social lotteries.
The latest allocations follow the introduction of the statutory gambling levy, which has generated almost £120m in funding to date. The grants are separate from a further £12m allocation for upper-tier local authorities and from NHS England funding dedicated to gambling treatment services.
Several long-established gambling harm organisations feature prominently among the recipients. Gambling Harm UK has been awarded £1.2m, while YGAM secured £3m to support its educational work. An allocation of £2.71m for Gamban is also a significant development as it was omitted from the original funding list announced in April, when rival blocking software provider BetBlocker received £1.1m.
That led Gamban to introduce a paid subscription service in England and Wales. The new award has allowed it to restore free access in England. It had already restored free access in Wales earlier in the year.
However, the funding package has generated debate within parts of the gambling industry, particularly regarding grants awarded to Gambling With Lives (GWL). The charity, which supports families bereaved by gambling-related suicide and campaigns for gambling law reform, has been provisionally awarded £1.8m. Its educational initiative, Chapter One, has separately secured £3.06m, bringing total funding linked to the organisation to almost £5m.
Some industry figures have criticised the decision, arguing that advocacy groups should not receive funding generated through a levy paid by gambling operators. Gambling With Lives was involved in policy discussions during the review of the Gambling Act between 2020 and 2023 and has continued to campaign for tighter restrictions on gambling products, advertising and taxation.
Questions have also been raised about how grant recipients intend to use the funding and how applications were assessed. OHID has stated that all decisions were reached through what it described as a “thorough, fair and transparent assessment process, in line with the published eligibility requirements and scoring criteria”.
Gamban described the development as a significant boost after a challenging period for the organisation and the wider third sector.
FAQs
How much funding has OHID allocated for gambling harm prevention?
OHID has provisionally allocated £39.7m to 40 organisations for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 financial years through the prevention element of the statutory gambling levy.
Which organisations received the largest grants?
GamCare received the largest provisional allocation with just over £4m. Other major recipients include Chapter One (£3.06m), YGAM (£3m), Betknowmore (£2.99m), Waythrough (£2.77m) and Gamban (£2.71m).
Why is Gamban’s funding significant?
Gamban was not included in the original funding list announced earlier in 2026 and subsequently introduced paid subscriptions in England and Wales. Its new £2.71m allocation has enabled the organisation to restore free access in both countries.
Why has the funding programme generated debate?
Some industry figures have questioned grants awarded to advocacy organisations such as Gambling With Lives, arguing that groups campaigning for regulatory reform should not receive money generated through the statutory levy.
How does this differ from the previous funding system?
The allocations are part of the statutory levy model that replaced the former voluntary funding system coordinated by GambleAware. Funding is now distributed through public bodies rather than through industry donations.
