Aims/priorities:
In February 2025, it was announced that under the new statutory levy on gambling operators, which took effect from 6 April 2025, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) would become the future prevention commissioner for gambling-related harms in England, working alongside appropriate bodies in Scotland and Wales. The levy, which is expected to raise over £100 million, will be allocated across the 3 workstreams of research (20%), prevention (30%) and treatment (50%).
The Gambling harms prevention grant will be available to all voluntary community and social enterprise organisations working to help prevent gambling related harms. Organisations, funded by OHID, will be fundamental to the delivery of an independent and public health led approach to preventing gambling related harms for the first time. This is part of a wider prevention, treatment and research programme attached to the new levy on gambling operators and focuses on prevention work only (a separate grant is available for treatment or recovery).
We expect organisations to be able to apply for three funding strands:
- Core Prevention Delivery Fund: This will focus on the provision of direct prevention activities to prevent or reduce gambling harms.
- Innovation & Evidence Fund: Funding for new, adapted, or emerging prevention approaches.
- VCSE Resilience & Systems Capacity Fund: Funding support packages to strengthen the VCSE sector’s ability to deliver sustainable prevention activities that reach intended cohorts.
This is an expression of interest.
Organisations will need to demonstrate the following:
- That they fall into the defined category of a third sector organisation.
- That they are intending to carry out a prevention activity under the following categories;
- That they can provide a theory of change to demonstrate how these services to help us build, evidence – based prevention services at scale in future.
- Applicants will need to demonstrate their commitment to achieving an industry free funding status for the 4 years leading up until 2030 and will be required to sign a Declaration of Interest agreement which we will provide.
- That they will share best practice and build partnerships across the sector.
- How they will build ‘lived experience’ into their plans.
Prevention intervention categories
- Social action
- Awareness
- Education
- Campaign
- Training
- Support
- Affected others
- Gambling blocking tools
- Other
The key objectives of the Gambling harms prevention VCSE innovation grant are to:
- Maintain and support sector to deliver on prevention outcomes
- Build sector capacity and sustainability free of industry influence
- Develop evidence & innovation
- Demonstrate strategic responsiveness
Amount: Not specified
How to apply:
To submit your expression of interest application to this fund, please go to this page: Expression Of Interest - Gambling harms prevention levy funding for the Voluntary Sector - GOV-UK Find a grant and click start new application here. You will need to register for an account.
Deadline: 9 January 2026, 12:00pm (Midday)
Read more here: Expression Of Interest - Gambling harms prevention levy funding for the Voluntary Sector - GOV-UK Find a grant