The government’s newly published “Men’s Health Strategy” calls for a deeper focus on how problem gambling impacts the male population of the UK, with an ongoing understanding towards policy treating gambling harms and consequences as a public health issue.
Announced by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), led by Secretary Wes Streeting, the strategy recognises that gambling-related harms are ‘disproportionately experienced by men’ and that young men in particular are more likely to gamble online, particularly with casinos.
Its publication comes seven months after the Select Committee on Health and Social Care, tasked with scrutinising departmental policy in this area, called for an urgent review of the 2005 Gambling Act to ensure that public health is factored into legislation.
National approach to gambling harm
Though the government has heeded the Select Committee’s calls to some extent – there is no commitment to yet another review of the Gambling Act, as White Paper recommendations were published in April 2023, and are yet to be fully implemented.
Responding to the strategy, Greg Fell, President of the Association of Directors of Public Health, said: “We are pleased to see this new strategy emphasises preventing the many avoidable illnesses and diseases – including a number of cancers and respiratory and mental health conditions – that are driven by smoking, drinking and gambling.”
A key pledge is the development of a ‘coordinated approach’ on gambling harm prevention, set at the national, regional and local level. Campaign groups and gambling treatment organisations, like GambleAware, had previously highlighted the need to gambling treatment policy to be tailored for different local considerations.
The government envisions a national-regional strategy including support for local authorities and the voluntary sector, development of digital tools, and building of evidence of best policy and practice.
The voluntary sector can expect to receive a grant from April 2026 to fund prevention programmes with a focus on young men aged 25 to 34, and both white British men and those from ethnic minority backgrounds.
This grant is going to be separate to the statutory levy on research, education and treatment – the RET levy – which came into effect in April this year as a key recommendation of the 2020-2023 review of the 2005 Gambling Act. Levy payment collections began on 1 September, at a rate of 0.1% and 1% depending on gambling activity type.
The strategy has praised the levy as being independent from the sector, a reference to the often repeated criticisms of GambleAware, the chief commissioning body for gambling harm prevention and treatment programmes, that the organisation was too dependent on industry funds.
Other pledges include greater data collection and evaluation, and delivering the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) research programme to address gaps in evidence and research into gambling harm.
James Grimes, Director of Chapter One, a prevention programme run by the gambling reform advocacy group Gambling with Lives, said: “The release of this strategy is very welcome, especially in its recognition of the health harms caused by gambling – harms felt by countless men across the country.”
Another score for gambling law reform
The government’s new strategy has seen gambling written into the NHS’ 10 Year Health Plan, alongside alcohol, drugs, tobacco and vaping – a clear endorsement that the government is increasingly viewing gambling as a public health issue as possible.
Outcomes will be indicative of the NHS taking a prominent role in gambling harm prevention and treatment, previously dominated by the charity sector. The NHS’ role had already been considerably expanded when NHS England was given the job of commissioning projects via RET levy funds.
The health body takes over this task from GambleAware, which is subsequently going to shut down in March – although the government is also in the process of scrapping NHS England itself as a part of a wider cost cutting and efficiency push.
As mentioned above, various stakeholders have been calling for such an approach over the past few years, including GambleAware, the Social Market Foundation (SMF), NHS professionals and other treatment specialists, and politicians.
Throughout 2025, various politicians have been calling for the government to take another look at gambling regulation. Layla Moran, Chair of the aforementioned health and social care Select Committee, is one such voice.
“The Men’s Health Strategy should be a golden opportunity for the government to get serious about reducing harms caused by gambling addiction,” Moran told PoliticsHome yesterday.
“The committee has already called on ministers to consider regulations on gambling ads, particularly to limit the frequency and kinds of promotions and incentives that can be sent to encourage individuals to gamble.
“And as many local authorities often struggle to prevent gambling venues from clustering on high streets in deprived areas, due to a lack of resources in the face of legal challenges, we say that public health officials should be given a greater say in the planning system.”
The strategy suggests that Moran and others have achieved at least some of their goals. In its assessment of local approaches to preventing gambling harm, the strategy notes that ‘several local authorities are introducing advertising and sponsorship policies that restrict exposure to gambling marketing’.
Today’s Men’s Health Strategy, coupled with the debate around taxation which has seen over 100 Labour MPs voice support for higher gambling tax rates, all seems to indicate a government policy in favour of tighter regulation and monitoring of this industry. This could perhaps see a two pronged political approach to gambling, treating it as both a business issue and a health issue, depending on the topic.
“The first ever Men’s Health strategy is an important milestone, and the fact that it correctly identifies gambling as a significant risk is particularly welcome,” said Lord Foster of Bath, Chair of Action on Gambling, summarising an opinion likely held by many other British politicians right now.
“Under the leadership of the Department of Health, progress in tackling preventable health issues that disproportionately impact men, such as problem gambling, will at last be possible.”