GamCare Sees Faster Access Ahead of Statutory Levy Shift

Support for gambling harm in the UK is changing shape, and the shift shows up clearly in new data. As funding models move away from voluntary contributions and toward a statutory levy, access, speed, and service design are already moving in a different direction.

Good to Know

• Helpline response times improved sharply over the past year
• Treatment access now happens faster than before
• Funding will soon move fully under a statutory levy system

Faster Access Marks a Turning Point for GamCare Services

GamCare reported clear year-on-year changes in how people reach gambling harm support, according to its latest Annual Review.

The report covers the final full year funded through voluntary levy contributions, ahead of the statutory levy on gambling operators that begins next year. GamCare has operated the National Gambling Helpline for 25 years and now prepares for a new commissioning landscape.

Between 2023-24 and 2024-25, access metrics improved across key touchpoints. The share of Helpline and online contacts answered within 30 seconds rose to 86 percent, up from 72.7 percent the previous year. GamCare linked the improvement to operational investment and a redesign of service delivery.

Treatment access also accelerated. During 2024-25, people referred into treatment received first contact within an average of 1.3 days. The prior year average stood at 2.1 days, marking a reduction of more than one third. GamCare described early engagement as critical in limiting escalation of gambling harm.

While total contacts across Helpline, digital platforms, and online services increased after channel expansion, referrals into structured support dipped slightly. GamCare explained the shift as a result of redesigned services, broader digital options, and updated clinical pathways aligned with national guidance.

Victoria Corbishley, who took on the chief executive role in February 2025, addressed the changes directly. She said:

“Our teams have maintained service quality while adapting to new delivery models – and the outcomes speak for themselves.”

Changing Needs Among Service Users

GamCare also identified shifts in the issues raised by people seeking help. During 2024-25, fewer users reported acute financial difficulty, anxiety, or depression compared with the prior year. Financial stress reports fell by 21 percentage points, anxiety by 13 points, and depression by 15 points.

Treatment volumes declined modestly year on year, alongside lower reported completion rates. GamCare linked those outcomes to revised frameworks and closer alignment with updated guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

Despite those changes, satisfaction remained strong. Ninety six percent of service users said they would recommend GamCare treatment services.

Education and prevention work also shifted focus. Overall reach among children, young people, and professionals declined following planned programme closures. Resources instead moved toward targeted delivery, including work linked to the criminal justice system, women services, and the armed forces.

Corbishley added:

“We have aligned our services with national clinical guidance on gambling-related harms, strengthened partnerships with NHS services and financial institutions and invested in quality frameworks that will serve us well in the commissioning landscape ahead.”

A New Funding Model Approaches

The statutory levy set to begin from April 2026 introduces a major structural change. GamCare will operate within new funding routes, accountability standards, and commissioning structures across England, Scotland, and Wales.

Historically, funding came mainly from voluntary operator contributions distributed through bodies such as GambleAware, which plans to end all activity in March 2026.

The levy, announced in November 2024, supports government plans to raise £100 million for gambling harm prevention through a percentage of industry profits. Work previously delivered by charities will transition under government oversight and new commissioners.

Following publication of the Annual Review, GamCare trustee chair Margot Daly shared confidence in the path ahead.

She said:

“Looking ahead to statutory levy implementation, I am confident that GamCare enters this next phase from a position of strength.”

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