Public Health Wales (PHW) has launched a two-year funding program aimed at combating gambling-related harms throughout Wales. The initiative, known as the Gambling Harms Voluntary Sector Grant Fund, will distribute up to £700,000 annually, with individual grants capped at £75,000 for each organization each year.
Announced on July 26, the grant program opens its application process on August 31, 2023, and will continue until October 19, 2026.
The initiative will primarily support voluntary, community, and social enterprise organizations operating in Wales, managed by the Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA).
PHW aims to fund campaigns that work to ‘de-normalise’ harmful gambling behaviors, focusing on preventive efforts for high-risk populations. The initiative will also support community outreach and services designed for those affected by others’ gambling, as well as fostering innovative strategies for gambling harm prevention. Specific emphasis will be placed on groups that serve individuals facing financial difficulties, those entangled within the criminal justice system, and others impacted by gambling.
PHW stresses the need for projects that can create sustainable preventive effects through awareness-raising, integration of personal experiences, or by providing strong evidence of successful interventions.
Catherine Miller, assistant director of grants and income at WCVA, expressed hopes for the fund, stating, "We want the money to reach a wide range of voluntary sector organizations across the country and encourage groups working with at-risk populations to apply."
The program focuses on supporting organizations that engage closely with communities significantly affected by gambling, aiming to enhance early intervention and prevention efforts.
Helen Erswell, a public health consultant for the Gambling-Related Harms Programme at PHW, noted, "This program will support organizations closest to those most affected. It will deliver prevention and early intervention, focusing on addressing inequalities and reaching those most at risk of harm."
Eligible participants include registered charities, community interest companies, voluntary organizations, and social enterprises, as long as their activities are within Wales. Earlier this year, the UK government introduced its own program, allocating £25.4 million to support gambling harm prevention, funded by a statutory levy on gambling operators implemented in April 2022.
