UK Unveils Its Biggest Independent Centre for Gambling Harm Research
The United Kingdom has launched its most extensive independent centre dedicated to investigating the harms associated with gambling. UK independent Centre Gambling
Announced by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on Thursday, this new centre seeks to address longstanding gaps in evidence that have hindered the development of effective policies, treatments, and preventative measures. Named the Gambling Harms Research UK (GHR-UK) Evidence Centre, it will receive funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), a national agency, through a share of the government’s statutory levy. The centre is spearheaded by a consortium of academic institutions, including the Universities of Glasgow, Sheffield, Swansea, and King’s College London.
Funding for GHR-UK will come from UKRI’s 20% allocation of the Gambling Levy, amounting to £22.1 million for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Earlier this year, the levy also invested £25.4 million in organizations dedicated to preventing gambling-related harm. With government support, GHR-UK plans to undertake a comprehensive research program into gambling harms, expand the field’s capacity, foster collaboration with stakeholders, and utilize public data to generate fresh insights. The centre will also oversee 19 ongoing Innovation Partnerships funded under its framework. Its research scope covers gambling in sports, online and video game gambling, and the structural factors driving gambling-related harm.
As part of the broader UKRI Research Programme on Gambling, the centre complements 32 rapid evidence reviews, 19 Innovation Partnerships, and four UKRI policy fellows already in place, according to UKRI. The organization also foresees additional investment in emerging areas, such as the intersection of gambling and video gaming. The initiative responds to widespread concerns about the paucity of high-quality, independent evidence on gambling harms. UKRI estimates that harmful gambling costs the UK economy roughly £1.4 billion each year. Its impact extends beyond economic loss to public health issues and criminal justice concerns. UKRI highlights serious individual consequences, including depression and suicide.
Professor Heather Wardle, director of the centre and a professor of gambling research and policy at the University of Glasgow, commented, “For too long, gambling research has been under-resourced and overlooked. New funding through the levy and UKRI marks a vital reset, strengthening the quality and scale of gambling harms research and ensuring policy is driven by rigorous, independent evidence.”
She stressed that the centre would prioritize input from individuals with lived experience of gambling harm, ensuring that research remains grounded in real-world issues and outcomes.
In line with this approach, Martin Jones has been appointed as the centre’s lived-experience lead. Jones, a campaigner and charity worker who has experienced gambling-related suicide within his family, stated, “research isn’t an intellectual exercise sitting in isolation. It is and should be closely linked to real gambling harms affecting real people.” He added, “We need to do much more to prevent these harms, and coordinating top-quality research will support this, especially by exploring the more complex areas around suicide, algorithms, and financial data.”
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A key part of the centre’s mission is to maintain independence from commercial gambling interests. UKRI’s statement underscored that a robust governance and integrity framework will safeguard the centre’s autonomy. Researchers expressed concerns about potential sector influence over gambling harms research during a parliamentary health and social care committee meeting in April 2025. They noted that, historically, gambling researchers have been hesitant to accept funding from the industry due to ethical considerations. Professor Wardle reflected that prior research often prioritized questions and perspectives that she believed were influenced by the gambling sector’s interests.
The establishment of GHR-UK arrives amid ongoing debates about regulation and public health concerns surrounding gambling harms. Recently, Members of Parliament called gambling advertisements a public health issue. Additionally, a recent study revealed that university students in the UK who gamble now lose an average of over £50 weekly. This week, the government announced plans to create an illegal gambling task force, which will focus on preventing payments to illegal operators, tackling illegal online advertising, and strengthening enforcement across agencies. UK independent Centre Gambling
