The statutory gambling levy is a compulsory charge on licensed gambling businesses in Great Britain that funds research, prevention and treatment of gambling harm. It started on 6 April 2025, replacing voluntary donations, and online casinos pay 1.1% of the previous year’s gross gambling yield. Players do not pay it directly, and it changes where support services get their money.
In force since 6 April 2025; it replaced the old voluntary contributions that ended on 31 March 2025.
Online operators pay 1.1% of the previous year’s gross gambling yield; land-based rates run from 0.5% down to 0.1%.
Money is ringfenced: 50% treatment, 30% prevention, 20% research, across England, Scotland and Wales.
Operators pay it, not players; it comes out of what casinos keep, not your balance.
GambleAware closed in 2026, so the National Gambling Helpline (0808 8020 133, run by GamCare) is the main free contact.
Started
6 April 2025
Online rate
1.1% of previous year’s GGY
Collected by
Gambling Commission
Payment due
By 1 October each year
Spending split
Treatment 50%, prevention 30%, research 20%
Exempt
The National Lottery
What the statutory gambling levy is
For years, gambling businesses funded harm-reduction work by choosing how much to donate and to whom. The statutory gambling levy ended that. It is a legal charge, set under the Gambling Act 2005, that every licensed gambling business in Great Britain pays at a fixed rate, with the money directed by government rather than by the industry.
The government’s statutory gambling levy page (opens in a new tab) says the levy started in April 2025, and the Gambling Commission’s annual report gives the start date as 6 April 2025. The Commission collects and administers it under the government’s strategic direction. Operators pay by 1 October each year, and anyone whose bill would be below £10 is not expected to pay.
This page explains the rates, where the money goes, what the change meant for charities such as GambleAware, and what it means in practice for anyone playing at a UK casino.
Statutory gambling levy rates by sector
Rates are a percentage of each business’s gross gambling yield (GGY) for the previous year. GGY is broadly what a gambling business keeps: the amount staked minus the winnings paid back to customers. Online gambling pays the highest rate.
Statutory gambling levy rates (GOV.UK, checked October 2026)
Sector
Rate
Basis
All online operators (with some exclusions) and software licences
Family entertainment centres, pool betting, machine technical licences
0.1%
Previous year’s GGY
Society and local authority lotteries
0.1%
Proceeds left after good causes and prizes
External lottery managers
0.1%
Fees charged to society lotteries, minus prizes
The National Lottery
Exempt
Not applicable
The online exclusions are remote betting intermediary trading rooms, society lotteries with remote licences and external lottery managers, which pay under their own lines instead.
How the levy is worked out: pound examples
Because the rate applies to GGY rather than to stakes, the numbers are smaller than people often assume. Here is how it works for an imaginary online casino.
Over the previous year, customers staked £50 million and won back £45 million.
GGY is £50 million minus £45 million, which is £5 million.
The online levy rate is 1.1%, so the bill is £5 million × 1.1% = £55,000.
That amount is paid to the Gambling Commission by 1 October.
A small land-based arcade with £400 of GGY at 0.1% would owe 40p, which falls under the £10 floor, so nothing is collected.
Seen from the player’s side, the casino in this example keeps about 10p of every £1 staked as GGY, and roughly a tenth of a penny of that goes to the levy. The house edge and the game’s RTP decide your expected cost; the levy is a charge on the operator’s share.
Where the gambling levy money goes
The funds are ringfenced, which means they can only be spent on the three purposes below.
How statutory levy funding is split
Strand
Share
Who commissions the work
Treatment
50%
NHS England, and the Scottish and Welsh Governments
Prevention
30%
Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), and the Scottish and Welsh Governments
Research
20%
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), with a small share to the Gambling Commission
A levy programme board oversees the system and a delivery group coordinates the three strands across England, Scotland and Wales. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport will publish an annual report on the levy’s finances and progress. GOV.UK’s levy page, last updated 26 March 2026, said the levy had raised just under £120 million in the year. A time-limited Gambling Levy Transition Fund also supports prevention and treatment services in England while funding moves across, so that services are not left with a gap.
Why the levy replaced voluntary donations
Under the old system, operators had to make an annual contribution to research, prevention and treatment, but they chose the amount and the recipient. That left both the total and its direction in the hands of the businesses paying. The 2023 gambling white paper proposed a statutory levy instead, the government consulted on it from 17 October to 14 December 2023, and the licence requirement for voluntary contributions ended on 31 March 2025.
The practical shift is about control: the amount is now fixed by law, and public bodies such as the NHS decide how it is spent. The Commission’s annual report for 2024 to 2025 (opens in a new tab) covers its role in setting the levy up.
What happened to GambleAware
GambleAware was the biggest recipient of voluntary donations and its name appeared on a great many gambling adverts. With the levy routing money through the NHS, OHID and UKRI, its funding role ended. Trade reports date its closure to 31 March 2026. You may still see the old name on older adverts and websites, but it is no longer a current support service.
The National Gambling Helpline continues: free, confidential and open 24/7 on 0808 8020 133, run by GamCare. In Wales, the NHS Wales helpline is 0808 2819 265.
What the statutory levy means for players
Your balance is untouched. The levy is paid by the operator from its own income, never deducted from deposits or winnings.
Offers are shaped by many costs. The levy is one; remote gaming duty, which rose to 40% on 1 April 2026, is a far bigger one. Any change to promotions or game returns can’t be pinned on the levy alone.
Support is more NHS-led. Treatment funding now runs through the NHS and the devolved governments, so NHS gambling clinics are a central route for help.
Licensed sites only. Unlicensed offshore casinos pay nothing towards it, which is one of many reasons our offshore casinos guide advises avoiding them.
Gambling levy vs gambling duty vs tax on winnings
Three different money flows are often confused. This table separates them.
The levy applies to gambling licensed by the Commission in Great Britain. The National Lottery is exempt. Northern Ireland has its own gambling law outside the Gambling Act 2005, explained on our Northern Ireland gambling law page. Players are not charged anything at all.
Where to get help now the levy funds support
If gambling is costing more than you intended, the routes below are free.
Every casino on this site is licensed by the Gambling Commission and contributes at the 1.1% online rate. Two current offers, checked 5 October 2026 (18+, terms apply):
Coral gives new players who deposit and bet £10 or more on slots 100 free spins on selected games at 10p each; accept them within 48 hours and use them within 7 days. Free spin winnings carry no wagering. Certain payment methods, including PayPal and Skrill, don’t qualify. The offer runs to 1 February 2027.
PlayOJO gives new UK customers (not Northern Ireland) 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza, worth 10p each, with a first deposit of £10 or more. There is no wagering, so winnings are paid as cash.
Treat any gambling as paid entertainment and decide your limit before you deposit.
Significant terms: 18+. New players only. Offer runs 01/10/2026 to 01/02/2027. Deposit (certain types excluded) and bet £10+ on slot games to get 100 free spins (selected games, £0.10 each, 48 hrs to accept, valid 7 days). No wagering on free spin winnings. Deposits by Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards do not qualify. Restrictions and T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read the Coral reviewLicence: LC International Limited, UKGC account 54743. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
Significant terms: 18+. New UK customers (excluding Northern Ireland). First deposit only. Minimum deposit £10. 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza, £0.10 each. No wagering requirements; winnings paid in cash. Cannot be used with any other offer. Only available to players who arrive through the designated offer link. Full T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read the PlayOJO reviewLicence: Skill On Net Limited, UKGC account 39326. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Set a deposit limit before you play: how to set deposit limits. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.
Frequently asked questions
What is the statutory gambling levy?
It is a compulsory charge that licensed gambling businesses in Great Britain pay to fund research, prevention and treatment of gambling harm. It began on 6 April 2025 and replaced the voluntary donations operators used to make. Rates depend on the sector: online operators pay 1.1% of the previous year’s gross gambling yield, while land-based businesses pay between 0.5% and 0.1%. The Gambling Commission collects it. Our Gambling Commission explainer covers the regulator’s wider role.
Do players pay the gambling levy?
No. The levy is charged on the operator’s gross gambling yield, which is the money it keeps after paying out winnings, and it is paid from the business’s own income. Nothing is deducted from your deposits, stakes or withdrawals. Your expected cost of playing is set by the game’s return to player and house edge, not by the levy. Our guide to how online casinos make money explains where the operator’s share comes from.
How much does the levy raise?
GOV.UK’s levy page, last updated on 26 March 2026, says the levy had raised just under £120 million in the year. The money is ringfenced: half goes to treatment, 30% to prevention and 20% to research. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has said it will publish an annual report on levy finances and progress, which should give firmer year-by-year figures. We add new official figures to our latest safer gambling page as they are published.
Why did GambleAware close?
Its funding model ended. GambleAware was mainly funded by voluntary donations from gambling businesses, and the statutory levy replaced those donations from April 2025, sending money through the NHS, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities and UK Research and Innovation instead. Trade reports date its closure to 31 March 2026. The National Gambling Helpline, run by GamCare on 0808 8020 133, remains open 24/7. See our free gambling support guide for every current option.
Is the levy the same as gambling tax?
No. The levy is a small, ringfenced charge for harm research, prevention and treatment. Gambling duties are taxes that go to the Treasury for general spending, and they are much larger: online casino operators have paid remote gaming duty at 40% of profits since 1 April 2026, against a 1.1% levy on gross gambling yield. Players pay neither. Our remote gaming duty page explains that tax in detail, including how the rate rise works.
Who decides how the levy is spent?
Public bodies rather than the gambling industry. NHS England and the Scottish and Welsh Governments commission treatment; the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities and the devolved governments handle prevention; and UK Research and Innovation runs a research programme, with a small share for the Gambling Commission. A programme board oversees delivery and the government has said lived experience will inform the programmes. Our gambling white paper page explains where the idea came from.
Does the gambling levy apply to the National Lottery?
No, the National Lottery is exempt. Other lotteries are covered: society lotteries and local authority lotteries licensed by the Commission pay 0.1% of the proceeds left after good causes and prizes, and external lottery managers pay 0.1% of their fees minus prizes. Online casinos, bingo and betting sites pay 1.1%. If you are curious about how different products are regulated, our UK casino rules summary is a good starting point.
When do operators pay the levy?
By 1 October each year, based on the previous year’s gross gambling yield. The Gambling Commission collects the money and does not expect payment from businesses whose levy would come to less than £10. As the charge is calculated on past figures, a casino’s bill reflects how much it kept from customers in the year before. Our page on the remote casino operating licence explains the licence that brings online casinos into the levy.
Has the levy changed casino offers?
There is no evidence that the levy on its own has changed offers. It is a 1.1% charge on gross gambling yield, much smaller than remote gaming duty, which rose to 40% of profits on 1 April 2026. Offers have also been reshaped by the 10x wagering cap and the ban on mixed-product promotions from 19 January 2026. Our latest bonus rules page explains how current offers are constructed under those rules.
Where can I get help with gambling now?
Start with the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133, which is free, confidential and open 24/7, run by GamCare. In Wales, the NHS Wales helpline is 0808 2819 265. You can self-refer to NHS gambling clinics in England, join Gamblers Anonymous meetings, and block UK-licensed sites with GAMSTOP. Our guide to the signs of problem gambling can help you decide whether to reach out, and the answer is usually yes if you are asking.
Gambling can be addictive. Free, confidential help is available 24 hours a day from the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133. Get free support from GamCare or NHS gambling support, or block yourself from all UK-licensed gambling sites with GAMSTOP.
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