The UK Government has revealed its plans for the statutory levy and online slot stake limits, ushering in a new era of protection and compliance for UK gambling.
The new RET Levy statutory measure will ensure that £100m in annual funding will be allocated to projects, initiatives and organisations dealing with the treatment and prevention of gambling harms.
We are examining how the industry has reacted to such key developments with the need for clarity and further scrutiny continuing.
Labour
Stephanie Peacock, the Labour Government’s Minister for Sport, Media, Civil Society & Youth, has released a ministerial statement on the statutory levy and the online slot stake limits.
Peacock described the current funding system for research, prevention and treatment of gambling-related harms as “no longer fit for purpose”, noting that while there has been an uplift in donations in recent years, the “quantum of funding is not the only requirement for an effective and equitable system”.
As such Peacock confirmed that DCMS will apply the new RET Levy via “secondary legislation” in place by next summer to ensure funding is “flowing to priority projects and services in the next financial year”,
She added that the statutory levy will “deliver increased and trusted investment directed where it is needed most” and “further strengthen the evidence base to inform policy, and build an effective prevention and treatment system across the country”.
“We want the public to be better aware of the risks of gambling, and for anyone suffering from gambling harms to access timely and effective support when and where they need it,” said Peacock.
As for the distribution of the levy funding – 20% to research, 30% to prevention and 50% to treatment – Peacock said it has been allocated in this way to maximise the input of expertise and authority across public bodies.
However, additional evidence collecting for prevention is still taking place. The Government views this area as a “crucial part” of its efforts to reduce gambling harm and wants to take its time to “get this right” before appointing a lead commissioning body in this area.
She added that an update will be delivered in a further response document “in the coming months”.
To govern the levy, a Gambling Levy Programme Board and a Gambling Levy Advisory Group will be established. The programme board will be the central oversight mechanism for the Government, while the advisory group will offer expert advice on funding priorities and emerging issues.
The levy system will be formally reviewed within five years, with assessments of its structure and health and adjustments taking place to ensure the Government is achieving its aims.
Regarding its policy impact, Peacock stated: “While we expect the statutory levy will have some financial impact on gambling operators, we think these are necessary and proportionate. The levy will increase the independence of spending and Government oversight regarding commissioning decisions.
“It will play an important part in the Government’s wider aim to have a better informed and protected public when it comes to gambling-related harms.
“This investment will also ensure the Government and the Gambling Commission have the robust evidence needed to strike the right balance between freedom and protection as new challenges arise.
“The publication today is further evidence of the Government’s continued commitment to tackling gambling-related harm. We want to ensure that people across our country can access trusted and quality information, support and treatment when it comes to gambling-related harms.
“We believe that the introduction of the statutory levy is a crucial step in meeting these aims. I will place a copy of the response to the consultation in the libraries of both Houses.”
As for the online slot stake limits, £5 per spin for adults aged 25 and over and £2 per spin for young adults aged 18 to 24, the Minister said that these limits will go through an implementation period, meaning that following debates in Parliament, operators will have six weeks to implement the limits.
“The introduction of these stake limits is proportionate and is a key step in achieving the Government’s objective of reducing gambling-related harms. Importantly, these changes bring online slot games in line with existing restrictions on slot machines in casinos,” Peacock concluded.
“These limits are also aligned with the recommendation made by the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee’s Second Report of Session 2023-24, ‘Gambling regulation’, published in December 2023.”
NHS
Director for Mental Health at the NHS, Claire Murdoch, expressed ‘delight’ in welcoming the gambling levy, which she noted that bereaved families and the voluntary sector have been calling for better coordination with the government when it comes to preventing gambling harm.
“Problem gambling can completely ruin lives and the issue has skyrocketed, with NHS services treating record numbers and our latest data showing a staggering 129% increase in service referrals compared with the same period last year.
“We will continue to work with the government to do all we can to protect problem gamblers from this billion-pound industry.”
The need for action was also highlighted by Professor Henrietta Bowden-Jones, National Clinical Advisor on Gambling Harms at NHS England, who added that 2.5% of the population are experiencing harmful gambling, with many more people around them affected as a direct result of their behaviour.
“We recognise the need for more action, which is why I am thrilled to support the Government’s new levy, which will help us address the negative impact of gambling harms on communities using treatment, prevention and research through an independent evidence-based strategy, at last.”
GambleAware
In a joint statement, Zoë Osmond, CEO of GambleAware and Professor Siân Griffiths CBE, Chair of GambleAware Trustees, also welcomed the Government’s announcement, but noted that any delay in appointing the new prevention commissioner “could adversely impact the continuity of services.”
Osmond and Griffiths said: “We welcome the Government’s plans for the new statutory levy on the gambling industry, alongside the introduction of lower online stake limits. This represents a significant step towards protecting people from gambling harm.”
“Gambling harms affect millions of people, including children, and exacerbates inequalities across Great Britain. The introduction of the lower online stake limits for under 25s is a positive step as we know those using online casino games, including slot machines, are almost four times more likely than average to experience ‘problem gambling’ compared to other kinds of gambling.
“The levy is also a crucial step towards ensuring continued support through a statutory system and is something we have been calling for since 2017. GambleAware is committed to supporting the new system which we hope will build upon the effective work of the National Gambling Support Network and others in the third sector, as well as harnessing the strategic commissioning and campaigning expertise that already exists.”
The joint statement continued: “We are however concerned that the delay in appointing the new prevention commissioner could adversely impact the continuity of services.
“Clarity on this role is urgently needed to prevent system degradation as we know that prevention is at the core of tackling gambling related harms and needs to be integrated with the treatment offering. This includes impactful public health campaigns, self-help tools, and education programmes which we know are essential to addressing this serious public health issue.
“We also welcome the announcement of the cross-Government levy board and advisory group. We believe it is vital that the levy board urgently develops a national strategy to address gambling harms as part of its remit, to ensure the new RPT system is as effective as possible.”
EPIC
Paul Buck, the CEO & Founder of EPIC Global Solutions took to Linkedin to respond to the decision revealing that “the devil will be in the detail over the next few months”.
Buck produced five core views on DCMS’s RET levy, signifying how it will align with EPIC’s work going forward.
He kicked off by underlining: “We should never forget that the main people that matter are those who need the services. We are already seeing organisations claim ‘victory’ in the last few hours. The only thing that matters should be that gambling harm is prevented in the first place, and then treated effectively for the small percentage (but significant number) of people who do suffer issues.”
He noted that it was the decision to split the levy at 50% treatment, 30% prevention and 20% research, with EPIC having advocated for this in previous debates.
Furthermore, Buck cited that treatment should reflect that “gambling problems are not one size fits all”.
He added: “The NHS is probably the right commissioner, but how they manage the incredibly important wider ecosystem and provide choices of treatment & aftercare that will be genuinely life saving or not. There are some amazing treatment options out there such as Gordon Moody the NGSN and some incredible peer support and aftercare organisations such as Betknowmore UK and EPIC Restart Foundation who all should be supported to provide choice and diversity of options.”
Lastly, he pinpointed prevention, an element he stated has still not been fully decided on at this point other than it warrants 30% of the levy.
“As an organisation that has helped lead this area since 2013, and the largest gambling lived experience employer globally, EPIC have fed their thoughts comprehensively on this area and have felt listened to. However, we are no nearer knowing who is the commissioner (right that this isn’t NHS England) and timescales.
“Certainty needs to be brought into this area as soon as possible so that the great organisations on the Gambling Commission approved RET list can continue their life changing work. This cannot be about anti-gambling campaigning.”
He concluded: “The public & political scrutiny on the levy will be enormous going forward and hopefully the points above will be prominent to ensure that this levy doesn’t have unintended consequences and actually do more harm than good.”
