UK statutory levy consultation now live

The UK government has published its consultation on a statutory levy for the gambling industry, promised as part of its wide-reaching white paper on industry reform.

The proposals are for online gambling operators to pay one per cent of their gross gambling yield, with betting shops and casinos to pay 0.4 per cent.

The government said on Tuesday that the new levy will raise an estimated £100m of new funding for research, prevention and treatment of gambling harms.

The NHS will become the main commissioner of treatment as part of the proposed plan and as well as industry, the eight-week consultation is inviting viewpoints from clinicians, practitioners, academics and those with lived experience of gambling harm.

The government said it wants to “ensure all operators contribute their fair share” towards treatment and prevention, with some operators paying “as little as £1.”

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said the levy will “strengthen the safety net” and “deliver our long-term plan to help build stronger communities while allowing millions of people to continue to gamble safely.”

Health minister Neil O’Brien added: “Twelve of the planned fifteen NHS gambling addictions clinics have now opened across the country providing vital support services for thousands of people experiencing gambling-related harms as well as their loved ones.

“The remaining three are expected to open by the end of the year.”