The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has launched a new levy transition fund to ensure service users and beneficiary groups are not negatively affected by the transition or risk shutting down entirely.
DCMS will provide funding for organisations currently offering gambling harm prevention and treatment services which have been unsuccessful in obtaining funding from a new statutory gambling levy.
To gain eligibility, organisations must have been using funding from the industry-ran voluntary system between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2026, as well as provide proof of supporting service users or beneficiary groups in England which were affected by the period of transition.
Organisations also must have had funding bids through the Gambling Harms Prevention VCSE Grant Fund and/or the Gambling Harms Treatment VCSE Grant Fund previously rejected.
The length of funding for successful applicants will run from 1 April 2026 through the conclusion of June, with the ability to backdate claims for expenditure available to organisations awarded after the 1 April start date.
DCMS will provide funding which is equivalent to the pro rata value of three months of funding from an organisation's current voluntary system arrangements. For example, if an organisation has received £120,000 (US$159,900) of voluntary system funding to support 12 months of provision, DCMS will provide no more than £30,000.
Applicants must also submit proof they are a charitable, benevolent or philanthropic organisation if not currently registered as a charity in England.
Expenditure will only include any staffing and related on-costs for the continuation of delivery in the organisation’s relevant voluntary system funding agreement.
DCMS defines a payment as a legal tender passed to a supplier, a letter passed to a supplier or employee containing a cheque and an electronic instruction sent to a bank or building society to pay employees and suppliers.
DCMS published a consultation on proposed changes to the funding model for the UK Gambling Commission on 28 January, opening a review of licence fees for the first time since 2021. The consultation will run until 29 March 2026, with any changes expected to take effect from 1 October 2026 through secondary legislation.
Between October and December 2025, the National Lottery, operated by Allwyn UK, was able to grant £410.8m ($562.8m) to good causes, the lowest amount mustered since the final three months of 2023
