GambleAware publishes response to UKGC’s tax consultation

Added: January 4, 2024

GambleAware has published its response to the UKGC’s recently concluded consultation covering mandatory gambling harm prevention taxes.

The consultation in question proposes to introduce a mandatory tax for all of the United Kingdom’s operators that would be utilized to fund various charitable organizations across the country that focus on research, treatment, and prevention of various gambling problems and harms.

GambleAware’s response to the consultation, which was written by the charity’s Chief Executive, Zoe Osmond, welcomed the proposal of the mandatory tax and named it an important step in the industry’s fight against problematic gambling behaviors. The statement highlighted the proposal’s potential, however, the charity also mentioned that certain aspects of it could negatively impact the levy’s efficacy once it’s implemented.

The key point mentioned in the response was the proposal’s lack of a nationwide strategy for fighting against gambling harms, which the charity mentioned will be important in developing a system aimed at preventing and treating problematic gambling behaviors. The response stated that an approach similar to that of a public healthcare system would be the most effective at dealing with the issue, which would involve a centralized treatment and prevention commissioner to ensure adequate accessibility of treatment services across the United Kingdom.

The charity’s statement mentioned a few other points as well, including clearer definitions of the different stages of prevention efforts and the importance of a smooth transition from the outgoing system to the new one that would ensure stable funding for all involved parties.

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