IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Money and Mental Health response to new statutory levy for gambling operators
27 November 2024
Today, the government has announced its proposals for a statutory levy on gambling operators to fund research, treatment and prevention of gambling harms from April 2025.
The funding will compel gambling operators to pay a percentage of their gross gambling yield (the money they make from people gambling) to support treatment and research, and could raise over £100 million a year.
The government has also confirmed that the funding generated by the levy will be used as follows:
- 50% will be directed to NHS England and appropriate bodies in Scotland and Wales to develop a comprehensive support and treatment system.
- 30% will be dedicated to preventative measures such as awareness campaigns
- 20% will go to UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Gambling Commission to fund research programmes on gambling
Commenting on the announcement, Nikki Bond, Head of the Gambling Harms Action Lab at the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute, said:
“For too long, gambling support services and researchers have been reliant on the goodwill of the gambling industry for funding through voluntary donations. The new mandatory levy is a welcome step that will bring vital funding for frontline services and for other initiatives to tackle gambling harms, which should ensure more people affected by these issues can get the treatment and support they need.
“Delivering on the statutory levy is something we called for in the run up to the general election this year. Money and Mental Health exists to break the link between mental health problems and financial harms, and gambling harms sit right at the cross section of this experience for many of those we work with.
“It’s important that this funding is not confined to academic research, education and clinical treatment. Funding should also be extended to practical initiatives putting research to tackle gambling harms into tangible action on the part of gambling operators, banks and other organisations who can make a difference. That will be critical in ensuring that the levy brings immediate benefits to people experiencing gambling harms now and in the coming years.”
ENDS
For any media enquiries, please contact Jason Heffron, Senior Communications Officer at Money and Mental Health, on 07432 643646 or [email protected]
Notes to Editors
About the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute
The Money and Mental Health Policy Institute is an independent charity set up by Martin Lewis, and committed to breaking the link between financial difficulty and mental health problems. We conduct research, develop practical policy solutions and work in partnership with both those providing services and those using them to find what really works. www.moneyandmentalhealth.org
We have written about the potential impact of changes to the Work Capability Assessment on people with mental health problems in this blog.