The post UK’s £120 Million Gambling Levy Delivers First OHID Prevention Grants Amid Sector Turmoil – iGaming Bitcoin News appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.

Key Takeaways: UK statutory gambling levy raised £120 million in year one, replacing Gambleaware. Betblocker was confirmed among the first OHID prevention grant recipients on April 8. Gamban excluded from funding, moves to a £4.99 monthly paid model in England. GambleAware’s Two-Decade Run Ends as Government Takes Direct Control OHID, the government body now responsible for commissioning harm prevention services, has published its initial list of approved organizations under the Gambling Harms Prevention VCSE Fund. Among the confirmed recipients is Betblocker, a free blocking software provider that had publicly warned of a funding cliff edge as recently as December. The statutory levy replaces what was previously a voluntary system in which licensed gambling operators donated to Gambleaware, the charity that served as Britain’s commissioner of gambling harm services, operating since 2002 and serving as its chief commissioning body from 2018. Gambleaware formally ceased operations on March 31, ending a 20-year run during which it helped build the National Gambling Support Network, which supported more than 110,000 individuals. Gambleaware itself had long advocated for a statutory funding model, arguing that voluntary contributions from the industry whose products caused the harm created an inherent conflict. The charity’s reliance on operator donations drew sustained criticism from public health campaigners who questioned its independence, even as Gambleaware positioned itself to serve as the central commissioner under any new system. Instead, the UK government appointed three new national commissioners when it announced the statutory levy in November 2024: NHS England for treatment, UK Research and Innovation for research, and OHID for prevention, with equivalent bodies in Scotland and Wales. Andy Boucher, the charity’s chair of trustees, said Gambleaware was proud of its contribution to the system it helped bring about, but acknowledged the organization’s time had passed, having been left without a role. The levy,…

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Filed under: News - @ April 9, 2026 12:25 am