Glasgow Awarded £3.44m to Tackle Gambling-Related Harms and Their £15m Annual Cost
Glasgow Awarded £3.44m to Tackle Gambling-Related Harms and Their £15m Annual Cost
Glasgow City Council has been granted more than £3.44 million over the next three years to extend its initiatives addressing gambling-related harm across the city. As reported by GlasgowLive, the funding comes from the industry’s statutory levy and will support and expand “The Glasgow Project,” building on previous work led by the city’s established gambling harms groups.
Expanded Prevention Work in Schools and Youth Services
The funding will enable the expansion of prevention efforts in schools and youth services, providing dedicated support for young people experiencing gambling-related debt. Training for the workforce across health, community, and public services is also planned, alongside targeted investment in three neighbourhoods identified as having the highest concentration of betting outlets.
Key priorities for 2026–27 include recruiting additional staff for the prevention team, revitalising the multi-agency partnership, and developing a specialist financial inclusion service to further aid those affected.
Cost of Gambling Harm in Glasgow Exceeds £15m Annually
According to a recent report from Glasgow City Council’s Wellbeing, Equalities, Communities, Culture and Engagement City Policy Committee, the cost of gambling harm to Glasgow is the highest across Scotland, exceeding £15 million per year. The report also noted that around 42% of betting shops in Glasgow are located in the city’s most deprived areas.
Statutory Levy Reshapes Funding Model
The Glasgow Project is funded through the statutory levy, which came into effect in April 2025. The levy, financed by the gambling industry itself, was designed to raise approximately £100 million annually to support research, prevention, and treatment efforts related to gambling harm. It replaces the previous voluntary funding model, with the Gambling Commission now managing collections under the oversight of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
The DCMS has also allocated £25.4 million from the levy to 33 voluntary, community, and social enterprise organisations across England—again funded through the operator levy.
Wales Joins the Fight Against Gambling Harm
Glasgow’s funding builds on pilots and public health initiatives that have developed a whole-system approach to gambling harm. In January 2025, Public Health Scotland published findings mapping Glasgow’s support network and exploring risk factors contributing to gambling harm. This followed Glasgow City Council’s recognition of gambling harms as a public health issue.
Similarly, Public Health Wales announced in July a new two-year funding initiative supporting community-led efforts aimed at “de-normalising” gambling-related harms across Wales. This grant will target voluntary, community, and social enterprise organisations operating within Wales, with the Wales Council for Voluntary Action overseeing its administration.
Kathryn Evans covers bitesize breaking news with a primary focus on EMEA and US legislation. A proud North Walian, fluent Welsh speaker and lifelong Wrexham FC fan – long before Hollywood came calling.