The OHID has published its first list of grants under the new statutory levy system, providing a clear contrast from the funding allocation of third parties previously led by GambleAware.
The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) has revealed the full list of the gambling harm prevention organisations awarded funding from the new statutory levy system.
Notable names on the list include Gamcare, Gambling Harm UK, BetBlocker, and YGAM, along with a number of other national and local organisations including charities, independent bodies, trusts, and others.
OHID is one of the three key levy funding decision makers under the new system, tasked with overseeing the direction of prevention funds – around 30% of the overall levy, or £25,441,281 in total.
The remaining 70% of statutory levy funds are divided between NHS England and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). NHS England oversees the 50% allocated to treatment and UKRI oversees the 20% allocated for research.
This is the first official OHID confirmation as to which organisations have been greenlit for funding, though some announcements have been trickling in from unsuccessful applicants over the past couple of days. BetBlocker was the first to officially announce its successful application, as founder Duncan Garvie noted on LinkedIn.
So, who are the big winners? BetBlocker is one of the new levy millionaires, securing £1.12m. The online gambling blocking app is joined in the millionaires club by education group YGAM (£3m) and National Gambling Helpline operator GamCare (£4m).
“I feel humbled for BetBlocker to be approved in this manner,” BetBlocker’s Garvie wrote on LinkedIn. Being entrusted to deliver free blocking software for England is not something that I take lightly.
“Whilst we’re obviously very happy to receive this support, and to have our work considered appropriate to receive funding, I feel the weight of this grant.”
YGAM and GamCare are the two biggest recipients of OHID funding. The remaining levy millionaires are the Addiction Recovery Agency (£1.026m), Betknowmore (£2.99m), Citizens Advice Wokingham (£1.27m), Council for Voluntary Service Medway (£1.3m), Gambling Harm UK (£1.25m) and NECA (£1.27m).
Change in tune…
When referenced against GambleAware’s final accounts filed with the UK Charity Commission, notable shifts in funding allocation come into focus.
In its final year, GambleAware granted circa £9.8m in direct funding to third parties across the strategic pillars of harm prevention, specialised treatment and research.
The top recipients of GambleAware funding were led by YGAM (£3.1m), followed by the specialised treatment support services of BetKnowMore (£1.6m), Fast Forward (£472,000), EPIC Restart Foundation (£454,000) and ARA (£423,000).
The remit of issuing third-party grants formed part of GambleAware’s strategic function as the commissioning charity of the former voluntary levy system, over which it had assumed full operational control as of 2017.
GambleAware 24/25 accounts show that the overwhelming majority of spend was channelled through commissioned service contracts, in support of the primary RET system partners of the National Gambling Support Network (NGSN).
The accounts highlight the concentration of funding among core providers, such as GamCare receiving £9.6m and Gordon Moody £4.5m, underscoring their roles as the primary delivery agents of frontline treatment services.
In total, approximately £35m was allocated to maintain the NGSN structure in GambleAware’s final full year of operations. By contrast, direct grant funding totalled £9.8m, as a support layer used for specialised treatment, targeted interventions, research and community outreach programmes in support of the wider NGSN and its expansion since 2019.
Financial disclosures also underline the scale of the transition underway. GambleAware’s income fell sharply from £86.5m in 2023/24 to £29.7m in 2024/25, representing a 66% year-on-year decline.
The contraction was driven by reduced voluntary contributions from UK gambling licences, alongside a significant drop in regulatory settlement income, as the system moved towards a statutory levy framework – a decision taken and overseen by DCMS.
In OHID’s case, some of these organisations are familiar faces. Others, however, were not successful in securing a spot in the new system. EPIC Restart Foundation, a division of EPIC Global Solutions, providing lived experience support for those recovering from gambling addiction.
The difference in GambleAware and OHID’s funding choices could reflect on the application process. Organisations had between 14 January to 6 February 2026 to apply for grants, with applications subject to what OHID calls a “robust, fair and transparent assessment process, in line with the published eligibility requirements and scoring criteria”.
Some organisations may be questioning whether OHID’s decision to exclude them from levy grants was a result of an assessment of their operating models and role in the gambling harm prevention ecosystem, tried and tested for many years, or simply a result of mistakes or misunderstandings in an application…
The decisions may raise further questions about the suitability of the levy, a flagship measure of the Gambling Act review White Paper. Throughout the duration of the Gambling Act review (December 2020-April 2023), harm prevention, treatment and education stakeholders were very vocal about the potential negative impacts of such a huge transition.
The first victim of the levy transition was one of its biggest advocates – GambleAware. The organisation had long called for a mandatory funding system, but one with itself retained as commissioner.
GambleAware closed its doors on 31 March 2026. The various organisations which have since been excluded from OHID levy funding may now be wondering what the future holds for them.
On LinkedIn, Garvie continued: “But as proud as I feel about the award, the last few weeks have been very bitter sweet for me. So many important organisations, delivering high quality services, were unsuccessful in securing funding. These decisions have real world consequences, and present potentially existential challenges for those organisations.
“Within many of those organisations there’s now substantial job insecurity for a large number of people that I have deep respect for. Practitioners that I know and have learned from. Peers whom the sector would be reduced to lose.
“Nothing I can say will provide any real solace to organisations in this position. But I extend my hand to them. If there is any way that I/we can help support our partners in the sector during this challenging time, please just reach out.”
Denied from initial OHID grants by EPIC Restart Foundation, a former recipient noted :“Our focus hasn’t changed. It remains firmly on the people experiencing gambling harm, and the families and loved ones affected alongside them. They are, and always will be, at the heart of everything we do.”
“So, we will keep showing up. We will keep delivering support. And we will keep doing the work that matters.
“If you’re supporting someone who could benefit from our services, or if that someone is you, referrals are still open. Our programmes include Early Recovery Support, our Online Recovery Community, support for families and affected others, and Long-term Recovery Coaching.
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