£39m gambling levy grants fund advocacy group Gambling With Lives
GamCare, YGAM & BetBlocker also feature on the list.
The hit
OHID has named the recipients of over £39m from the statutory gambling levy, & advocacy group Gambling With Lives is among them. GWL & its Chapter One support service have been granted close to £5m combined, according to SBC News, prompting complaints from industry figures on LinkedIn.
Why it matters
The levy is paid by the gambling industry itself. GWL campaigns for gambling law reform & was highly active in lobbying in the run-up to the 2025 & 2026 budgets, both of which raised gambling taxes, which critics say makes it an odd fit for a pot meant to treat harm rather than fight the sector that funds it.
The record
| GamCare grant | £4m (OHID) |
|---|---|
| YGAM grant | £3m (OHID) |
| Gambling With Lives total | £1.8m, plus £3m for Chapter One (OHID) |
| Gamban grant | £2.7m, after missing April’s first tranche of £25m (OHID) |
| BetBlocker grant | £1.1m (OHID) |
| Application window | 14 January-6 February 2026 (OHID) |
What happens next
SBC News has asked GWL how it will spend the grant & asked the Department of Health & Social Care for detail on OHID’s assessment criteria. GWL had not replied at the time of publication.
Sources: Blurred lines in OHID’s £39m gambling levy funding round
Named in this story? Reply to newsdesk@infobets.com & we publish it.
18+. Betting involves risk. If gambling is a problem for you or someone close to you, help is available.
Work with BH Group. Paid ads that get iGaming & crypto brands players & users, in the GEOs you choose. Get a plan
Discussion
Ask a question, add useful context or share a source. Keep it relevant & respectful.
Add a comment
Comments are reviewed before publication.