Poker Writer
UK-based charity GambleAware is set to shut down by March 2026 after over 20 years of service. Founded in 2002, it has long been an independent charity dedicated to reducing gambling-related harm. The UK government is making structural changes to its gambling harm reduction programs, which made the charity redundant.
The UK will introduce a statutory levy and appoint three new national commissioners for research into gambling harm, prevention, and treatment. The responsibility for these areas will shift to public bodies across England, Scotland, and Wales. This is a move that the charity itself has been pushing for.
GambleAware is a prominent and well-known name in the UK. Its advertisements feature prominently at many of the country’s sporting events, including English Premier League matches. The goal has been to offset the heavy presence of sports betting ads in British sports culture.
The charity will continue to conduct business as usual until the new commissioners are fully set up. The Chair of Trustees at GambleAware, Andy Boucher, discussed the change:
Our main priority continues to be keeping people safe from gambling harm and to ensure stability and continuity for our beneficiaries as the new commissioners take over.
Concern Over GambleAware’s Closure
GambleAware has been steadily reducing its headcount over the last year. The announcement that it will be ending operations did not, therefore, come as a surprise to many in the industry.
Jordan Lea, who heads another charity, Deal Me Out, was critical of the situation, however. He told reporters at NEXT:
The cessation of the United Kingdoms most recognisable and trusted gambling harm charity is a stain on the implementation of the statutory levy.
Sadly, the announcement from GambleAware today was predictable, hundreds of job losses in the last 12 months, with more closures to come as a result of a mismanaged implementation of government policy.
My thoughts are with the team at GambleAware, who have acted with integrity throughout the whole process.
Most concern about GambleAware’s shutdown centers on the transition phase. The fear is that the new commissioners may not immediately do as thorough of a job as GambleAware is capable of with its network of connections and decades of experience.
