BetBlocker has confirmed that it has been approved to receive levy funding after the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, OHID, published the list of organisations awarded support.
The charity, which provides free gambling blocking software, said the grant will be used to help deliver its service in England.
In a LinkedIn post, BetBlocker Founder, Duncan Garvie, said the application process had been complex because of the international nature of the service. He thanked the OHID team for its handling of the process and said the organisation viewed the funding as a significant responsibility.
Garvie said: “Being entrusted to deliver free blocking software for England is not something that I take lightly.”
He added: “Levy funding is a gift. A privilege. A responsibility.”
The announcement makes BetBlocker one of the organisations publicly confirmed as successful under the new funding allocation. Garvie stated that, while BetBlocker welcomed the support, the decision had also been difficult to view in light of the number of other organisations that were not awarded funding.
According to the post, some unsuccessful applicants now face pressure that could affect staffing and ongoing service delivery. Garvie said those decisions carried “real world consequences” and described “substantial job insecurity” for people working across the sector.
He also signalled that BetBlocker would seek to support affected organisations where possible.
Garvie said: “If there is any way that I/we can help support our partners in the sector during this challenging time, please just reach out.”
The funding outcome marks a further development for BetBlocker as it continues to expand its harm-prevention activity across multiple markets. While the latest announcement relates specifically to England, the charity has previously highlighted the international reach of its software and the operational challenges that can come with delivering a cross-border service under domestic funding structures.
BetBlocker expanded its international support activity earlier this month through a partnership with Slovakia’s national gambling harm helpline, adding Slovakian language access as part of its localisation strategy. The move came as the charity reported rising use of blocking tools in markets where demand for support services is increasing.
BetBlocker’s software is designed to block access to gambling websites and applications across mobile and desktop devices
