BeGambleAware

BeGambleAware operates as the national coordinating body for gambling harm services in Great Britain. It commissions and funds research, public awareness campaigns, education programmes, and treatment services — including the National Gambling Helpline, delivered by GamCare.

The charity is funded primarily through voluntary contributions from UKGC-licensed gambling operators via the GambleAware voluntary levy system. Following the 2023 Gambling Act Review white paper, this voluntary contribution framework is being replaced by a mandatory statutory levy, which is expected to significantly increase the total funds available for gambling harm services.

BeGambleAware maintains the BeGambleAware.org website, which provides self-help resources, a treatment finder, and a self-assessment tool. The organisation also campaigns publicly around responsible gambling messaging requirements for licensed operators.

For over a decade, BeGambleAware received voluntary Research, Education and Treatment (RET) contributions from gambling operators. These voluntary contributions averaged approximately £10 million per year — a level widely criticised as insufficient relative to the scale of gambling harm in Great Britain.

The 2023 white paper proposed replacing the voluntary system with a statutory levy on operators' gross gambling yield (GGY). Published levy rates target approximately £100 million per year — a tenfold increase over historical voluntary contributions. This change requires primary legislation and was in the implementation pipeline as of 2026. When in force, funds will be collected by HMRC and distributed to research, education, and treatment bodies independently of operator influence.

The transition to statutory funding is considered a landmark shift in how gambling harm services are funded in Great Britain, addressing longstanding concerns about the adequacy and independence of operator-funded voluntary arrangements.

BeGambleAware sits at the coordinating layer of the UK's gambling harm-reduction framework — commissioning services, funding research, and driving public awareness campaigns rather than delivering direct treatment itself. The National Gambling Helpline (0808 8020 133), delivered by GamCare under a BeGambleAware commission, is the primary consumer-facing access point for people seeking support. BeGambleAware also funds the Gambling Therapy online service (delivered by Gordon Moody Association) for international users and those who prefer anonymous digital support.

Research commissioned and funded by BeGambleAware has shaped UKGC policy development, contributing to the evidence base behind the 2023 Gambling Act Review white paper. This includes prevalence studies on gambling harm in Great Britain, analysis of the effectiveness of safer gambling tools (deposit limits, self-exclusion uptake), and research into at-risk populations including young people and those using high-stakes gaming machines.

From a consumer perspective, BeGambleAware's most practical offering is the begambleaware.org website, which includes a self-assessment tool (the PGSI — Problem Gambling Severity Index screening questionnaire), a treatment-finder database covering NHS and charity services across Great Britain, and self-help guides for individuals and families affected by gambling-related harm. The site also hosts public-facing guidance on using responsible gambling tools (GamStop, deposit limits, cooling-off periods) that all UKGC-licensed operators are mandated to provide.