Gordon Moody’s stark warning for new future of funding
Summary
Leading gambling treatment charities are warning that the UK government’s move to a statutory levy and the NHS taking over commissioning from GambleAware is creating serious uncertainty for frontline services. Gordon Moody says its future beyond March 2026 is unclear and is calling for 12 months of interim funding plus a comprehensive evaluation of treatment providers. GamCare and other sector leaders share concerns that a lack of clarity about commissioning from April could disrupt support for people with severe gambling harms. Ministers insist they will manage a smooth transition, but charities say urgent action is needed to avoid service disruption.
Key Points
- From April 2026 the statutory levy replaces voluntary industry funding and the NHS will lead allocation of treatment and prevention funding.
- Gordon Moody fears sustainability beyond March 2026 and is calling on government for interim funding to keep services running for 12 months.
- The levy distribution: 20% to research, 30% to OHID for prevention, and 50% to the NHS for treatment commissioning.
- Experts warn charities face a “real pinch” as commissioners may prioritise their own services and exclude organisations previously funded by industry.
- Ministers say the transition will build on the current system, but charities stress clarity and rapid action are required to protect frontline care.
Context and Relevance
This matters to operators, regulators and the third sector because it reshapes how gambling-harm treatment is funded and commissioned in the UK. Replacing GambleAware with an NHS-led statutory levy is a major policy shift that will influence funding flows, partnerships and delivery of care. If you work in player protection, public health or compliance, the decisions made over the next year will affect which services survive and how people with gambling harms get help.
Why should I read this?
Short and blunt: charities are worried they might run out of cash and that means people needing help could miss out. If you care about player safety, funding stability or how the new levy will actually work in practice, this is worth a quick read — it flags who could lose out and why ministers need to move fast.
Source
Source: https://igamingexpert.com/features/gordon-moody-funding-treatment-crisis/