UK Launches Largest Independent Gambling Harms Research Centre

Key Takeaways:

UKRI launched the GHR-UK Evidence Centre to tackle gambling harms.
The centre is funded by the government’s Gambling Levy.
It will conduct independent research to inform policy and prevention.
Universities of Glasgow, Sheffield, Swansea, and King’s College London lead the centre.
£22.1 million from the Levy is allocated for research in 2025-26.

The UK has launched the Gambling Harms Research UK (GHR-UK) Evidence Centre, established as the nation's largest independent research facility dedicated to addressing gambling harms. This initiative, an investment by UKRI, is funded through the government’s Gambling Levy and aims to direct world-leading research into the prevention and mitigation of gambling-related issues. The centre will generate and apply independent, evidence-led research to strengthen policy, practice, and public understanding across the UK.

Context and Research Focus

The establishment of the GHR-UK Evidence Centre addresses a significant gap in high-quality independent evidence on gambling-related harms, which has been a major barrier to effective policy, prevention, and treatment. Harmful gambling is conservatively estimated to burden the UK economy by approximately £1.4 billion annually, impacting healthcare and criminal justice systems, alongside individual consequences such as depression and suicide, a trend seen across regulated online casino markets. The centre, led by the Universities of Glasgow, Sheffield, Swansea, and King’s College London, will manage a comprehensive research programme, build capacity in gambling harms research, and collaborate with stakeholders. It will also explore how UKRI and other data assets can support generating new evidence and coordinate the cohort of GHR-UK Innovation Partnerships.

Funding and Industry Impact

The GHR-UK Evidence Centre is a major part of the Research Programme on Gambling, delivered by UKRI, with funding derived from the Gambling Levy. The Levy is structured across three strands: Treatment, Prevention, and Research. UKRI and the UK Gambling Commission are responsible for investing 20% of these funds into research, amounting to £22.1 million for the 2025-26 period. This investment has already supported 32 rapid evidence reviews, the new Centre, 19 new Innovation Partnerships, and four UKRI policy fellows. Future investments will include research into the convergence between gambling and video gaming, ensuring that research actively shapes prevention and treatment initiatives funded through the levy. Independence from commercial gambling interests is fundamental to the Centre's work, safeguarded by a strong governance and integrity framework to ensure autonomy and credibility.

Leadership and Collaborative Approach

The GHR-UK Evidence Centre is led by Heather Wardle, Professor of Gambling Research and Policy at the University of Glasgow, in collaboration with partners at King’s College London, the University of Sheffield, and Swansea University. Professor Wardle stated, “We’re proud to lead UKRI’s first ever Gambling Harms Research Evidence Centre. 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.” The centre also places lived experience at the heart of its work, appointing Martin Jones as a lived experience lead. Mr. Jones, who has personal insight into the impacts of gambling-related suicide, emphasised the importance of research being closely linked to real harms affecting real people. The Centre will coordinate 19 GHR-UK Innovation Partnerships across UK universities, covering topics such as gambling harms and sport, online gambling games and videogames, and the structural drivers of gambling harm. These partnerships will work with the Evidence Centre to generate evidence, build research capacity, and inform policy and practice.