UK Launches Independent Gambling Harm Centre

Gambling Harms Research UK Evidence Centre has been established in Britain as a new independent research hub focused on studying gambling-related harm without commercial gambling industry involvement.

The centre will be funded through the government’s Gambling Levy as part of an investment managed by UK Research and Innovation. Its objective is to strengthen independent research into how gambling harms emerge, how prevention measures can be improved and how treatment services should respond.

Research linked to gambling harm in the UK has estimated the annual social and economic cost at around £1.4 billion, with impacts affecting healthcare systems, criminal justice services, families and individuals. Areas linked to gambling-related harm include mental health issues, suicide and financial difficulties.

The project will be led by the University of Glasgow alongside partners including University of Sheffield, Swansea University and King's College London. Heather Wardle will oversee the initiative.

The centre’s work will include coordinating research projects, supporting 19 Innovation Partnerships, analysing gambling-related data and helping develop future researchers in the sector.

Under the Gambling Levy structure, funding is divided between research, prevention and treatment programmes. UK Research and Innovation and the Gambling Commission manage 20% of the levy funding allocated to research, representing £22.1 million during the 2025–26 period.

The centre has also appointed Martin Jones to support the inclusion of individuals directly affected by gambling harm in shaping the research agenda. According to the organisation, people with lived experience and affected communities will play an active role in the development of research priorities.

The Innovation Partnerships linked to the project will examine topics including gambling and sport, online gambling, gambling-related suicide, algorithms, financial data and structural causes of harm. Future research is also expected to explore the relationship between gambling and gaming activities.

The centre stated that its governance framework is designed to ensure independence from gambling industry influence, making it one of the first UK gambling harm research initiatives operating without direct commercial involvement from the sector.