Glasgow City Council has secured over £3.44 million in funding over the next three years to enhance initiatives aimed at tackling gambling-related harm throughout the city. This funding, reported by GlasgowLive, stems from the statutory levy imposed on the gambling industry and will bolster "The Glasgow Project," which builds upon efforts from existing local gambling harm groups.
The financial support will facilitate the expansion of prevention initiatives within schools and youth services, targeting young people who are grappling with gambling-related debt. Additionally, the funding will allow for workforce training across health, community, and public services, while also directing resources into three neighborhoods identified as having the highest concentrations of betting outlets.
Key objectives for the 2026-27 fiscal year include hiring more personnel for the prevention team, revitalizing the multi-agency partnership, and establishing a specialized financial inclusion service to assist those affected.
A recent report from Glasgow City Council's Wellbeing, Equalities, Communities, Culture and Engagement City Policy Committee reveals that Glasgow bears the highest cost of gambling harm in Scotland, exceeding £15 million annually. Furthermore, around 42% of betting shops in the city are situated in its most deprived areas.
The funding for this initiative comes from a statutory levy introduced in April 2025, aimed at generating approximately £100 million each year for research, prevention, and treatment related to gambling harm. This levy replaced a previous voluntary funding system and falls under the management of the Gambling Commission, which operates within the framework of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
The DCMS has also allocated £25.4 million from the levy to support 33 voluntary, community, and social enterprise organizations across England, which are equally funded through the operator levy.
Glasgow’s funding builds upon successful pilots and public health strategies that have developed a comprehensive approach to addressing gambling harm. In January 2025, Public Health Scotland released findings that assessed Glasgow's support network and identified risk factors for gambling harm, following the city council's designation of gambling issues as a public health concern.
In a parallel effort, Public Health Wales announced a new two-year funding initiative in July aimed at community-led projects designed to "de-normalize" gambling-related harms across Wales. This initiative targets voluntary, community, and social enterprise groups in Wales, with administration overseen by the Wales Council for Voluntary Action.
