Glasgow City Council has secured over £3.44 million in funding over the next three years to bolster its efforts in mitigating gambling-related harm throughout the city.
The funding, as reported by GlasgowLive, will stem from the statutory levy imposed on the gambling industry and will enhance “The Glasgow Project,” which builds on ongoing initiatives led by local gambling harm groups.
With this financial support, Glasgow aims to broaden its prevention initiatives in schools and youth services, aiding young individuals who are grappling with gambling-related debt.
Plans also include providing training for professionals in health, community, and public services, as well as targeted investments in three neighborhoods identified as having the highest density of betting establishments.
As part of the priorities outlined for 2026-27, the city plans to hire additional staff for the prevention team, rejuvenate the multi-agency partnership, and create a specialized financial inclusion service to better assist those affected by gambling harm.
A recent report from the Wellbeing, Equalities, Communities, Culture and Engagement City Policy Committee revealed that the financial burden of gambling harm on Glasgow exceeds £15 million annually, the highest in Scotland. The report also highlighted that nearly 42% of betting shops are located in some of the city's most deprived neighborhoods.
Changes to the gambling levy structure are also noteworthy. The new project will be funded by the statutory levy that came into force in April 2025. This levy was designed to generate around £100 million each year for research, prevention, and treatment relating to gambling addiction. It replaces a previous voluntary funding model, with the Gambling Commission now overseeing the collection process under the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
The DCMS has allocated £25.4 million from this levy to support 33 voluntary, community, and social enterprise organizations across England, further demonstrating the potential impact of the operator levy.
Glasgow’s funding is part of a broader initiative that includes public health strategies designed to create a comprehensive approach to addressing gambling harm. In January 2025, Public Health Scotland analyzed Glasgow’s support network and identified risk factors contributing to gambling addiction. This study followed Glasgow City Council's recognition of gambling harm as a pressing public health concern.
In a parallel development, Public Health Wales announced in July a two-year funding program aimed at diminishing the normalization of gambling-related harms across Wales. This initiative will support community organizations and will be administrated by the Wales Council for Voluntary Action.
