The statutory gambling levy is no longer a proposal. The Gambling Levy Regulations 2025 came into force on 6 April 2025, and operators have now received two annual invoices from the Gambling Commission. The levy replaced a system in which operators decided for themselves how much to give to research, prevention and treatment, and who received it.
From Voluntary Donations to a Fixed Charge
Under the old arrangement, the Commission's licence conditions required operators to make an annual contribution to organisations working on research, prevention or treatment. The amount was not specified. In its consultation response, the government said many operators did not pay their fair share and that there was a perception the industry influenced where the money went.
The April 2023 white paper proposed a statutory levy instead. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport consulted on the design from 17 October to 14 December 2023 and published its decisions on 27 November 2024. The regulations were made on 25 February 2025 and took effect on 6 April 2025, and the old licence requirement to make voluntary contributions ended on 31 March 2025.
Who Runs the Levy
Responsibility is split. The department sets the rates and the strategic direction for spending. The Gambling Commission collects the money, enforces non-payment, is responsible for publishing annual receipts and is the first point of contact for appeals about how a bill was calculated.
Rates run from 0.1% to 1.1% of gross gambling yield depending on the licence, with online casino, betting and bingo operators paying the top rate. Spending is directed to three areas, each with a lead commissioner. Treatment (about 50%) runs through NHS England and the Scottish and Welsh governments, prevention (30%) through the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities and the devolved governments, and research (20%) mainly through UK Research and Innovation.
Two groups oversee delivery. The Gambling Levy Programme Board monitors the system as a whole, while the Gambling Levy Delivery Group brings the research, prevention and treatment strands together at working level.
The Transition So Far
Moving from the voluntary system to new commissioners created a risk of a funding gap for existing services. The department set up the Gambling Levy Transition Fund to give time-limited support to prevention and treatment services in England while the new system bedded in.
Enforcement money has also been separated from the levy. On 22 July 2026 the Commission decided that future regulatory settlements will be paid into the Consolidated Fund, the government account that receives tax revenue, so there is no second funding stream running alongside the levy.
The department has committed to an annual report on levy finances and progress. The government also said the levy would be reviewed within five years, including the split between research, prevention and treatment.
For players, nothing changes at the cashier, because the levy is charged to operators. If gambling is causing you problems, GamCare's National Gambling Helpline is on 0808 8020 133.
Updated 23 September 2026: corrected the commencement date, rates and collection arrangements against Gambling Commission guidance and the Gambling Levy Regulations 2025.
