According to reports, senior figures within the UK Government are reluctant to introduce a statutory levy that would fund gambling harms support programs and initiatives.
The proposed statutory levy on gambling operators is believed to be one of the recommendations in the long-awaited Gambling Review White Paper. This would make it a legal requirement that all operators pay a standard fee that would be used to fund problem gambling support programs. At present, this fee is voluntary.
Campaigners have lobbied for the mandatory charge and believe that a 1% levy would generate about £130 million (€145.4 million) for problem gambling programs. This is significantly more than the £34.7 million (€38.8 million) voluntarily donated to GambleAware in the year up to March 2022.
Chair of the Peers for Gambling Reform group, Lord Foster, has said that some figures within government feel that a statutory levy may be a step too far.
Speaking to PoliticsHome, he said:
Gambling Harms Support Levy Could Be Dropped From Proposed UK Industry ReformsThe Treasury have yet to comment on Lord Foster’s statement.
Gambling Harms Support Levy Could Be Dropped From Proposed UK Industry Reforms due to the upheaval within the UK government as Boris Johnson left his role as Prime Minister. Gambling Harms Support Levy Could Be Dropped From Proposed UK Industry Reforms
Olivia has worked as an editor and writer for major brands across multiple niches. She now focuses on the iGaming and sports betting industries.