GamCare calls for pause to reassess as NHS modernisation plans get underway

(AsiaGameHub) –   GamCare has urged the UK government to pause and reflect on the implementation of the statutory levy during the ongoing transformation of the NHS.

The government announced in the King’s Speech, delivered in Parliament yesterday (13 May), its intention to introduce the NHS Modernisation Bill, which will eliminate NHS England and bring the UK’s healthcare system into closer alignment with the Department of Health and Social Care.

This restructuring carries significant consequences for the gambling industry, particularly as NHS England recently assumed responsibility from GambleAware for commissioning treatment services under the statutory levy—alongside equivalent bodies in Scotland and Wales.

NHS England had begun signing treatment contracts starting in April 2026 with organisations such as GamCare. All agreements were made on an annual basis, meaning that charities like GamCare would have needed to renegotiate funding arrangements each year with the treatment commissioner.

However, forward planning has been disrupted by the uncertainty surrounding the new body that will assume this role from April 2027.

GamCare described this transition period as occurring at a ‘critical moment’ for gambling harm treatment services as the sector adapts to these changes.

The organisation’s CEO, Victoria Curbishley, argued that the upcoming funding decisions in April 2027 present an ideal chance to review the effectiveness of the controversial levy.

She stated: “We believe there is a valuable opportunity to reflect on the early stages of the levy’s implementation and ensure the next phase is built on a solid foundation.”

“The initial phase of levy-funded commissioning has yielded important insights into how services can be effectively coordinated within a complex system.”

Many sectors of the gambling industry were reluctantly drawn into the statutory levy framework, with opponents warning that progress in addressing problem gambling could stall and vital industry expertise could be lost.

Given the system’s early stage, it remains difficult to fully evaluate the levy’s impact, despite generating £120 million in funding from operators in its first year—with 50% of that amount directed to NHS England.

The government’s NHS restructuring poses an immediate challenge to the levy’s operation, and Curbishley stressed the need to maintain uninterrupted access to support for those affected by gambling harms throughout the transition.

“We acknowledge the Government’s goal to modernise health commissioning and move decision-making closer to local communities,” she added. “For people experiencing gambling harms, maintaining continuous access to support during any structural changes will be essential.”