Implementation statement

NICE recognises that when the guideline on gambling-related harms publishes in January 2025, implementation will not be immediate. However, throughout development we have engaged with the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England, and there are plans to support its future implementation.

In November 2024, the government confirmed the introduction of a new statutory levy on gambling operators from April 2025. The levy, expected to deliver up to £100 million each year, will provide increased, independent and sustainable funding for the research, prevention and treatment of gambling-related harms.

The government response to the consultation on the structure, distribution and governance of the statutory levy on gambling operators, recognised the important role that both the NHS and the voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE) sector continue to play in the provision of treatment and support services, but acknowledged the longstanding issues with integration, data sharing and uniform standards of care across the full range of treatment provision.

The statutory levy will provide a significant increase in investment for support and treatment services for gambling-related harm. Up to £50 million will be provided in the next financial year (2025/26) to develop an integrated system and increase treatment access ensuring those experiencing gambling harm can access the right help when and where they need it.

Under the new levy NHS England (and appropriate bodies in Scotland and Wales) will be responsible for commissioning the full spectrum of treatment and support services, ensuring the integration of services across the treatment pathway, from referral and triage through to aftercare. They will also ensure the collection of comprehensive data to measure demand and assess impact of treatment and support services in order to support future system improvements.

NHS England will work closely with NHS and VCSE sector providers of gambling treatment and support services and other key partners to ensure that design and delivery of the future gambling treatment system is aligned with the NICE guideline.


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