UK

Wolverhampton Council has opened a public consultation to inform its Gambling Harm Reduction Strategy, as local governments across the country continue to confront the gambling industry.

With the opportunity to comment open until 20 March, the consultation aims to address what the Council sees as the “increasing harmful impact” of online betting, gaming platforms and targeted advertising.

Local policymakers have reported that 5.3% of Wolverhampton’s population is currently at risk of gambling-related harm, while 1.2% exhibit signs of already being affected by problem gambling.

Furthermore, the Council reports that between 2019 and 2022 only 70 locals sought gambling support through the local treatment specialist Aquaris. No data was provided about the use of the national helpline GambleAware, however.

Wolverhampton Councillor Obaida Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Community, said: “Gambling harm is a real and growing issue that affects individuals, families and comm..

Paddy Power has set out its plans to evolve the retail gaming experience through a new collaboration with ClearStake and the debut deployment of ID by bank in the retail space.

The new agreement aims to transcend the traditional brick-and-mortar experience by bolstering the digital experience within the retail space, giving the land-based sector a much-needed uplift when it comes to UI and the verification process.

Martin Burt, ClearStake CEO, commented on LinkedIn: “The same challenges exist in retail as they do online, and ClearStake provides a proven way to address them. This rollout shows how digital verification can enhance compliance and efficiency in physical venues, not just online.

“We’re proud to be supporting innovation in retail verification and look forward to seeing how bank-based ID continues to evolve across the UK market.”

The transition into retail seeks to reduce friction, bolster consistency and strengthen compliance for the operator, potentially shifting the ..

The CEO of the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), Andrew Rhodes, is stepping down from the leadership role in the midst of the British betting sector’s biggest readjustment in decades. Rhodes’ departure from the Commission was announced by the regulator early this afternoon, with his resignation date confirmed as 30 April 2026. This comes 30 days after the HM Treasury’s new…

GamCare recorded a significant increase in referrals to treatment and peer-based support services in January 2026, following contact with the National Gambling Helpline and its live chat service.

The charity made 996 referrals during the month, up from 674 in January 2025 – a 48% year-on-year increase.

Excluding referrals to peer-based support services such as the Money Guidance Service and Way Forward, treatment referrals rose to 742, compared with 603 in the same month last year.

January 2026 was one of the highest referral months that GamCare has recorded in the past five years, with only October 2025 (1,165 referrals), September 2025 (1,022) and August 2025 (1,077) exceeding the figure.

“More people affected by gambling harms are choosing to start treatment,” said Victoria Corbishley, CEO of GamCare.

“The National Gambling Helpline is a 24/7, confidential route to support, and our advisers rapidly connect people with free, specialist help across Great Britain. That first conv..

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) is evaluating whether the final destination for regulatory settlements paid by British betting operators should change.

Consultations are now open until 2 April on the potential amendment of section 2.39 of the UKGC’s ‘Statement of principles for determining financial penalties’.

Under the current texts, payments made as part of regulatory settlements do not need to be paid into the government’s Consolidation Fund.

The Consolidation Fund collects government proceeds from means such as taxation, which are then used to subsidise public initiatives. These include compulsory financial penalties imposed by the UKGC in relation to regulatory breaches under section 121 of the Gambling Act 2005.

However, as stated above, regulatory settlements – which are negotiated agreements at heart – do not currently end up in the Consolidation Fund, which the UKGC is now looking to amend.

“This would ensure that any future regulatory settlements, which are an impo..

A 40% year-over-year uptick in young people self-excluding from online gambling has been recorded by Gamstop.

The increase relates to individuals aged 16-24 and covers the six-month period ending 31 December 2025. This age group, according to the self-exclusion scheme, represents 29% of all total new registrations.

More details revealed that 38% of under-25s prefer to self-exclude for a duration of six months. For all total registrations, the most preferred option (47%) is a five-year self-exclusion.

For those choosing five years, Gamstop introduced an additional auto-renewal option at the end of 2024, with the scheme highlighting that the option’s popularity has been steadily climbing, and that at the end of 2025 it was selected by more than 50% of five-year exclusions for the first time since its introduction.

These stats are, of course, relating to online gambling. In addition, Gamstop has also unveiled its new Multi Operator Self-Exclusion Scheme for Betting Shops (MOSES) identity, which rebrands Gamstop Betting Shops and integrates better with its online self-exclusion service.

This improved integration will replace the old method of having to self-exclude from retail venues via phone, with customers instead being able to do so online.

MOSES offers a maximum self-exclusion option of 18 months, currently covering around 6,000 retail shops and more than 60 operators, and more than 9,000 people on the register.

Fiona Palmer, CEO of The Gamstop Group, which operates both MOSES and Gamstop Online, said: “Our brand refresh reflects the evolution of Gamstop and will deliver clarity, consistency and accessibility while preserving the trust and integrity built over the last eight years since we launched.

“The continued year-on-year growth in registrations highlights the ongoing and increasing need for effective self-exclusion tools. The rise in take-up of our auto-renewal option, in particular, shows that many consumers are seeking longer-term support and recognise the value of self-exclusion in helping them manage their gambling.”

The latest NHS statistics into gambling prevalence state that problem gambling rates in England remain stable, as authorities require a better understood public health view of gambling harm impacts across communities.

Data from the NHS Health Survey for England 2024 (HSE 2024) put the number of UK adults at risk of some form of problem gambling at 5%, with under 1% classed as suffering from problem gambling.

As with most surveys into British gambling preferences and gambling related harm, the study – which only looks at England and not the other three nations of the UK – maintains the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) as the primary methodology to measure gambling harm rates.

The PGSI has been used as the main indicator of gambling harm since 2016 when it was adopted by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) as a replacement for DSM-IV, the model which had been used since the 1990s.

Anyone with a PGSI score of eight or more, based on their answers to survey questions, is considered a problem gambler. Scores of between one and two indicate low risk and between three and seven indicate moderate risk.

Stable rates don’t tell full story

According to the 2024 survey, of the 5% of adults with a score of one or more the number classed as encountering problem gambling was 1% in 2024, suggesting a somewhat stable rate with previous survey estimates.

This does suggest an increase from some previous NHS surveys. A 2021 survey, for example, put the problem gambling rate at 0.3% – a period in which Survey participation and response was impacted by COVID-19 adjustments.

However, it does show a significant disparity with UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) data, also derived from the PGSI as discussed above. Stats from Year Two of the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB), published in October 2025, put the rate at 2.7%.

After problem gamblers, HSE 2024 put the number of people across England at low-risk of gambling harm at 3%, while the number of people at moderate risk of gambling harm stands at 1%. Nationwide, the 5% figure has been translated to account for between 4.2% and 5.8% of the population.

Overall, as the summary of the NHS survey states, rates of problem gambling from low to severe remain relatively stable in England. However, this will not excuse the betting sector from political scrutiny, with a number of policymakers vocally calling for gambling to be viewed as a public health issue in 2025.

The survey has taken note of the reforms introduced by the Gambling Act review, with the White Paper published back in April 2023. It adds, though, that despite these reforms the UK hosts ‘one of the most accessible gambling markets in the world’.

“Opportunities to gamble exist on most high streets and, with access to the internet, in virtually every home,” the survey said. “Concerns regarding the harms associated with gambling have been increasing in the UK in recent years and gambling is viewed as a public health issue.”

Men are the outlier of risks

The NHS survey also provided some insights into the regional and demographic contrasts relating to gambling harm across England. Firstly, on a gender basis, men saw a higher PGSI score than women.

Overall, 7% of English men scored one or more on the PGSI score, and 1% were considered problem gamblers. In comparison, only 3% of women scored one or more and the number of problem gamblers was rounded down to 0% in datasets – though it is likely higher than this given margins of error.

Perhaps most significant, however, are the regional disparities, with problem gambling and overall risk of gambling harm more likely in northern England and in coastal regions, these also being areas more likely to see higher rates of social deprivation.

The Yorkshire and the Humber region of Northern England had the highest rate of people with a score of one or more at 7%, followed by the North East, South East and South West at 6%, London at 5%, the North West, East of England and West Midlands at 4%, and finally the East Midlands at 3%.

This could prove significant in the context of both the calls for gambling to be viewed as a public health issue and for more powers to be given to local councils. Dawn Butler, Labour MP for Brent East, has been particularly vocal in calling for the latter, with a number of MPs and councillors joining her push for the ‘Aim to Permit’ rule around licensing to be scrapped.

Focus on levy application

Meanwhile, proponents of the gambling as a public health argument, which received backing from members of the Health and Social Care Select Committee last year, have often argued that approaches to problem gambling need to be contextualised to regional requirements.

While the NHS’ latest datasets do show that problem gambling rates remain overall stable, and are much lower than issues like alcohol abuse, tobacco and e-cigarette smoking, and obesity, concerns remain that will continue to fuel political and regulatory debate around this industry.

The NHS’ role in gambling harm research, education and treatment (RET) will only grow from here on out. The service is taking on more gambling harm treatment duties by becoming the main commissioner of projects in this area as overseer of the RET levy, taking over from GambleAware.

The UK’s financial watchdog has ordered Revolut to pay back a problem gambler who accused the bank of refusing to shut down his account.

The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) deemed that Revolut must pay £400 to a complainant, known as Mr H, who had informed the bank that he was experiencing problem gambling and using its services to convert cash into cryptocurrency for gambling purposes.

According to the ruling, Mr H contacted Revolut in June 2025 to tell the bank that he was experiencing mental health problems, including suicidal thoughts, as a result of gambling harms.

Revolut informed the customer that he could block gambling transactions, but the feature wouldn’t prevent crypto transactions.

Revolut also gives customers the option to block cryptocurrency transactions separately; however, there is no cooling-off period for the feature, meaning the customer was concerned that he was able to turn it back on instantly.

Similarly, the customer enquired if he could shut down his account. He was informed he could, but nothing was stopping him from reopening his account.

Consequently, he asked if Revolut could close his account down to solve the problem, as customers are unable to reopen an account with the bank if the firm has previously made the decision to end its services for that customer.

However, the bank failed to do so.

“I am at a loss as to why Revolut couldn’t take the decision itself to close Mr H’s account permanently when it has the ability to do this, and Mr H had requested that as a possible solution,” stated the ruling.

“It seems that despite explaining exactly what the issue was and what he needed, this fell on deaf ears. Instead of listening to Mr H and trying to get a full understanding of what the issue was and looking at all the options available to him, Mr H – an extremely vulnerable individual – was given unhelpful advice around options Mr H was already aware of and passed around to teams that couldn’t help.

“Mr H was vulnerable, in crisis, seeking help and took the brave step in making Revolut aware of this. But despite this, it failed to take proactive steps to provide him with the help he’d requested and was seemingly available and instead provided him with information about tools and features he was already aware of and failed to give him the attention he deserved.”

Although the FOS has no power to change a business’s working practices, the ombudsman expressed hope that Revolut will learn from the decision and provide appropriate support to individuals in a similar situation.

When reached out to for comment, Revolut told iGaming Expert that protecting its customers is its “highest priority”.

“We provide all our UK customers with a gambling block feature. When enabled, this tool automatically blocks card payments that are identified as being for gambling. We strongly encourage any customers with concerns about gambling to activate this feature in their app,” the bank’s spokesperson added.

“Revolut offers the option to disable the visibility of cryptocurrency tools for users who do not require them.”

Crypto under the spotlight

The FOS’s ruling once again places the role of cryptocurrency payments within gambling under the spotlight.

In the majority of mature gambling markets, including the UK, crypto payments remain prohibited. This means that they remain the preserve of the black market, which does not typically employ the same responsible gambling guardrails as licensed operators.

However, as the popularity of crypto continues to increase, especially among younger demographics, it is becoming increasingly clear that regulators like the UK Gambling Commission must confront the payment method.

Andrew Rhodes, the UK regulator’s CEO, previously described the “pressure building within the system” as players continue to embrace alternative payment methods.

“The reality is, in some years to come, there will probably be a significant cohort of consumers who use cryptocurrencies because that is what they’re accustomed to. It is a demographic shift that will find they have no place in the legitimate industry because of the currency they use,” stated Rhodes.

On a wider scale, the UK government is also seeking to align with the likes of the US and the EU by developing legislation for cryptoassets, and Rhodes emphasised that any changes made by the UKGC would be led by government-led decisions.

For now, though, the case against Revolut illustrates how shortcomings in the processes of banking establishments like Revolut can facilitate problematic gambling behaviours that thrive in the largely unprotected black market.

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has announced that the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) will temporarily keep the GambleAware website operating for at least a year.

The decision has been made in a bid to make sure support for those experiencing gambling harm continues while the transition to the new levy system takes place.

Supporting a smooth transition is a key priority, as the OHID will be the prevention commissioner under the new levy and will take ownership of the GambleAware website, noted the UKGC in an email newsletter.

Licencees were also encouraged by the commission to continue adhering to the Betting and Gaming Council–Industry Group for Responsible Gambling (BGC-IGRG) Gambling Industry Code for Socially Responsible Advertising.

The UKGC stated: “To support a smooth transition to the new levy system and ensure that those at risk of or who are experiencing gambling harms can continue to access tools and support, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) – as prevention commissioner under the levy – will take ownership of the GambleAware website.

“The OHID will keep the GambleAware website temporarily live when GambleAware ceases operations on 31 March 2026. This will be for a period of at least 12 months (until at least March 2027) as OHID intends to transition from the GambleAware website to a newly developed digital prevention offer, funded via the levy, in the future.”

Managed closure

GambleAware announced last July that it would be working towards a managed closure by the end of March 2026, remaining “committed to fulfilling existing commissioning agreements until the new system is in place by April 2026”.

Andy Boucher, Chair of Trustees at GambleAware, noted at the time: “Our main priority continues to be keeping people safe from gambling harm and to ensure stability and continuity for our beneficiaries as the new commissioners take over.

“The GambleAware website and critical prevention resources continue to provide accessible support for all.”

GambleAware is currently being led by Transition CEO Anna Hargrave, who was appointed to the position in August last year to oversee the day-to-day operations of the charity and lead on the managed closure of the organisation. Hargrave took over from former CEO Zoë Osmond, who had been the charity’s CEO since 2021.

When GambleAware announced its managed closure, Osmond called on the incoming commissioners – OHID, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) as research commissioner and NHS England, and Scottish and Welsh Governments as treatment commissioner – to continue branching out and supporting its work.

“As our commissioning activity winds down, we urge NHS England, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, UK Research and Innovation, and the relevant authorities in Scotland and Wales to build on the infrastructure and insights of the current system as they assume their new roles.”