**Wales to Receive £5 Million from New Gambling Industry Levy: Here’s How the Funds Will Be Used**
The Welsh Government is set to benefit from a fresh funding injection of £5 million per year, sourced directly from the gambling industry as part of a wider UK-wide crackdown on gambling harms. This development arises from a statutory requirement imposed on gambling operators, effective from April this year, as part of sweeping measures introduced by the UK Government. The move aims to secure consistent and ringfenced resources to combat gambling-related issues, with the total levy anticipated to generate around £100 million annually across the United Kingdom.
Under the updated arrangements, every licensed gambling operator must contribute equally, marking a significant departure from the previous voluntary system, which had allowed some companies to pay nominal amounts—sometimes as little as £1—towards the support of research, prevention, and treatment services. With the statutory payment system now mandatory, funds will be distributed more equitably and with ongoing consistency.
Wales’ share, amounting to £5 million annually, will be predominantly directed towards bolstering local services aimed at tackling gambling addiction and its associated harms. According to the UK Government, half of all generated funds—as part of this new strategy—will be allocated to health services, including NHS England and its counterparts in Scotland and Wales. This segment includes investment in national public health campaigns and the training of frontline staff, ensuring that support reaches those most in need.
The remaining resources from the levy will be split between research and regulatory development. Specifically, 30% of the overall funding will be invested in broader preventative actions, while 20% is earmarked for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Gambling Commission. Their remit will focus on developing tailored research programmes to inform future policy and provide evidence-based recommendations for regulation.
To oversee the effective deployment of levy funds, dedicated programme boards have been established for the UK, Scotland, and Wales. These boards will monitor the health impacts and overall success of the scheme, offering continuous oversight and assessment. Ministers from all three governments are scheduled to attend annual reviews, while senior officials will participate in quarterly meetings to maintain ongoing collaboration and alignment between different regions.
Within Wales, NHS Wales and Public Health Wales are already using the incoming funding to develop new treatment pathways and innovative interventions. The aim is to identify effective prevention opportunities, providing holistic support to those struggling with gambling addiction. Welsh Government officials have stressed that these efforts will be closely aligned with partners in other parts of the UK to maximise effectiveness and share best practices.
A significant change to the funding landscape comes with the transition away from GambleAware as the primary recipient of industry contributions. Sarah Murphy, Welsh Deputy Minister for Mental Health, acknowledged that some Welsh bodies had previously depended on GambleAware funding. To ease this period of change, up to £11 million from the levy’s treatment allocation—shared between Wales, Scotland, and England—will support GambleAware during the 2025–26 financial year. This transitional funding, however, is expected to be a one-off arrangement to safeguard existing support networks and prevent disruptions in treatment services.
Looking forward, the research component of the levy, approximately £20 million per year across Great Britain, will be managed by UKRI as the lead commissioner. This agency will collaborate closely with Welsh Government representatives and Public Health Wales to ensure research outputs translate into tangible benefits for affected populations.
The statutory gambling levy is scheduled for a formal review within five years, with the first comprehensive assessment expected by 2030. Stakeholders hope that this robust framework, underpinned by both financial and administrative oversight, will drive improvements in the prevention and treatment of gambling-related harm throughout Wales and beyond. The initiative is being closely watched, as it represents a significant shift in how the gambling industry contributes to mitigating the negative effects of its activities on society.