The UK government has provisionally allocated £25.4 million ($34 million) to support gambling-harm prevention and resilience initiatives, funded through the statutory levy on gambling operators introduced last year.
The funding will cover the period from 2026 to 2028 and forms part of wider efforts to address gambling-related harms using proceeds from the levy, which has raised almost £120 million so far.
A total of 33 voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations across England are set to receive grants, including national charities, educational trusts, local advice agencies and smaller community groups.
Among the largest provisional allocations, GamCare is set to receive £4.04 million, followed by the Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM) with £3.0 million and Betknowmore with £2.99 million. BetBlocker is allocated £1.12 million, while various Citizens Advice bureaux and regional organisations will receive between approximately £140,000 and £1.3 million.
The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), which oversees distribution of the statutory levy funding, confirmed that allocations were made following a closed application window earlier this year. The process adhered to published eligibility and scoring criteria and included due diligence checks.
As part of the funding conditions, applicants were required to declare any conflicts of interest and commit to halting direct industry funding, with the exception of National Lottery and social lotteries. Applicants were also asked to review materials and methodologies previously supported under the voluntary levy system, including those funded via GambleAware.
According to the department, the grants are intended to support “equitable and innovative prevention strategies”, while strengthening the ability of VCSE organisations to deliver sustainable projects.
In addition to the £25.4 million allocation, a further £12 million from the statutory levy will be distributed to upper-tier local authorities for the 2026–27 financial year to support community-level gambling harm prevention and reduction initiatives. Separately, NHS England is administering an independent VCSE grant focused on treatment services.
The allocations remain provisional and are subject to final grant agreements, with recipient organisations and funding amounts potentially subject to change.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2026/04/09/118495-uk-govt-allocates-34-million-to-gambling-harm-prevention-groups-under-statutory-levy
