The statutory gambling levy is a compulsory charge on every Gambling Commission licence holder, in force since 6 April 2025, which replaced voluntary industry donations and funds research, prevention and treatment of gambling harm across Great Britain. The DCMS levy page says it has raised just under £120 million this year. This 2026 guide sets out the rates, who pays, where the money goes and what changed from the old system.
What the statutory gambling levy is
The levy was a key proposal of the April 2023 gambling white paper and uses existing powers in the Gambling Act 2005. The Gambling Levy Regulations 2025 (SI 2025/213) came into force on 6 April 2025 and apply in England, Wales and Scotland.
The Gambling Commission collects and administers it under the strategic direction of DCMS ministers. As of 31 March 2025, licensees were no longer required to make annual contributions under the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice, because the levy took their place. It covers licensed businesses only, so unlicensed sites such as casinos without ID checks sit outside it.
Gambling levy rates by sector
Most rates are a percentage of the previous year’s gross gambling yield (GGY), the amount operators keep after paying out winnings. Online operators pay the highest rate, reflecting the government’s aim of an equitable approach between online and land-based gambling.
| Licensed activity | Levy rate | Charged on |
|---|---|---|
| Online operators and software licences | 1.1% | Previous year GGY |
| Land-based casinos and betting | 0.5% | Previous year GGY |
| On-course bookmakers, adult gaming centres, land-based bingo | 0.2% | Previous year GGY |
| Family entertainment centres, pool betting, machine technical licences | 0.1% | Previous year GGY |
| Society and local authority lotteries | 0.1% | Proceeds after good causes and prizes |
| External lottery managers | 0.1% | Fees charged minus prizes |
To put the online rate in context, remote casino GGY was £5,699.4m in FY2025-26, as shown in our UK gambling industry statistics. At 1.1%, that would be roughly £62.7m (our illustration only; actual bills use each licensee’s own GGY for the relevant period).
The levy is a charge on yield, not on individual deposits, so it applies however customers pay. Licensed operators have been banned from accepting credit cards for gambling since 14 April 2020, unlike some casinos that take credit card payments from outside the licensed market.
Who pays and when
Every holder of a Gambling Commission operating licence is liable, which is why the number of gambling licences UK operators hold matters. Payment is due by 1 October each year, and nobody pays where the amount would be £10 or less.
The first levy period was the nine months from 1 July 2024 for most licences, with the amount scaled up by one third to an annual equivalent. For society lotteries it was the 12 months from 1 April 2024.
The National Lottery is exempt because it operates under its own legal framework. Unlicensed offshore casinos hold no GB licence, so they pay nothing towards the system.
Where the money goes: research, prevention and treatment
DCMS directs levy funding in fixed proportions, each with a lead commissioning body.
- Treatment (50%): NHS England, with the Scottish and Welsh governments, commissions treatment and support services.
- Prevention (30%): the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), with the Scottish and Welsh governments, leads prevention and early intervention.
- Research (20%): UKRI runs a Research Programme on Gambling, with a small share going to the Gambling Commission.
Applied to the just under £120 million raised, that split would mean roughly £60m for treatment, £36m for prevention and £24m for research (our calculation).
How much the levy raises
The government’s 2024 consultation response set a target of £90 million to £100 million a year. Gambling Commission analysis showed the rates first proposed would raise about £84 million, so they were nudged up to 1.1% online, 0.5% for casinos and bookmakers and 0.2% for bingo.
DCMS now says the levy has raised just under £120 million this year, ringfenced for research, prevention and treatment. That is above the original target range, although DCMS has not yet published its promised annual levy report with a full breakdown.
From voluntary contributions to a statutory levy
Under the old system, operators had to give to one or more organisations of their choice, and the government said many did not pay their fair share. The main commissioning charity, GambleAware, received about £47 million from operators in 2022/23.
That year GambleAware spent about £9 million on research and allocated about £25 million to treatment, largely through its National Gambling Support Network. The consultation response put the NGSN cost at £840 per person, against £2,000 in NHS specialist clinics.
To avoid a funding gap during the switch, DCMS set up the Gambling Levy Transition Fund for services in England. The levy is part of the same reform package as the online slots stake limits, and the government plans a first formal review by 2030.
What the levy means for players
The levy does not change odds or prices directly, but it pays for the treatment, support and prevention services that people experiencing harm rely on. Governance sits with a Gambling Levy Programme Board and a Delivery Group spanning all three nations.
The weak point is the black market. Casinos outside GamStop that are unlicensed in Britain contribute nothing, even though their customers can still turn to levy-funded support.
Our guide to illegal gambling sites UK covers how the Gambling Commission tackles that black market and how to check a licence.
FAQ: the statutory gambling levy
Short answers based on DCMS and Gambling Commission sources.
When did the statutory levy start?
The Gambling Levy Regulations 2025 came into force on 6 April 2025, with operators paying by 1 October each year.
Is there still a GambleAware levy?
No. There is no separate GambleAware levy: the statutory levy replaced the voluntary contributions that operators previously gave to charities such as GambleAware.
Does the National Lottery pay the levy?
No. It is exempt because it operates under its own legal framework and already funds good causes.
How much research prevention treatment funding does the levy provide?
Just under £120 million this year, split 50% treatment, 30% prevention and 20% research.
Rates, split and the “just under £120 million” figure are from the DCMS guidance page, last updated 26 March 2026, which does not give the exact period. Pound figures marked as our calculation or illustration are approximate and not official levy bills.
- DCMS, Statutory gambling levy guidance, last updated 26 March 2026.
- DCMS, Government response to the consultation on the statutory levy, 2024.
- The Gambling Levy Regulations 2025 (SI 2025/213).
- Gambling Commission, Annual Report and Accounts 2024-25.
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