Gambling White Paper
The UK Gambling White Paper was finally released in May this year, and needless to say, it has provided plenty of talking points. One of the most controversial suggestions in the paper was the introduction of a statutory levy for gambling operators. The aim of the levy was to increase funding for gambling research, education, and treatment.
NHS England and GambleAware have now released a joint statement in full support of the levy, stating that they believe it has the potential to unlock the potential for the independence of funding for treatment and research programs.
A Divisive Proposal
The proposed statutory levy would see the current voluntary levy replaced and would be used to fund services for gambling harm and addiction. The levy would be placed at one percent of the gross gambling yield for licensed operators.
The proposed levy was allegedly one of the biggest stumbling blocks in the publication of the proposal, with some objections coming from within parliament. At the moment, the levy still needs to be fully approved and will come into action at a later date.
Support From The Health Industry
Initial reactions from the health sector to the publication of the White Paper were mixed. Many health officials were quick to question the lack of clarity on several issues and raised concerns about the lack of measures around advertising reform. There was also a lot of backlash over the speed of the publication and the implementation of the proposals.
While far from a U-turn, the joint statement released by NHS England and GambleAware has put a more positive spin on parts of the paper. GambleAware has recently joined GamCare and several others in sharing concerns over rising addiction rates in the country, and the statement highlighted the organisation's commitment to tackling this issue.
The NHS backs the statutory levy
Joint Statement
In the statement, Henrietta Bowden-Jones, National Clinical Advisor on Gambling Harms for NHS England, spoke about the positives of the statutory levy. They said that the NHS has no wish to be the sole provider of gambling care in the UK and that it is committed to working with organisations like GambleAware. She added that these proposals must be implemented without delay.
GambleAware is one of the UK’s leading gambling charities, providing support for millions of people across the UK each year. Zoë Osmond, GambleAware CEO spoke about the statement, saying that it highlighted the strong relationship GambleAware shares with NHS England. They added that in their role as a leading charity and strategic commissioner, a healthy relationship with the healthcare sector is vital.
Osmond rounded off her statement by saying that GambleAware welcomes the introduction of a statutory levy and that it will allow the organisation and the wider healthcare system to help meet the needs of the population.
