UK Launches its Largest Independent Gambling Harms Research Centre

The UK launches its largest independent gambling harms centre to tackle the burden of harmful gambling.

Harmful gambling costs the UK £1.4 billion every year. In May 2026, the government took its most significant step yet to address that by launching the UK's largest independent gambling harms research centre.

The UK’s priority focus on responsible gambling and preventing betting harm was cemented with the opening of its latest research facility.

What is the new Gambling Harms Research Centre?

UK has launched an independent gambling harms research centre — What is the GHR-UK Evidence Centre?

The GHR-UK Evidence Centre launched on 14 May 2026. It’s an evidence-led research facility generating independent data to inform policy and practice.

It is based at the University of Glasgow, with partners in Sheffield, Swansea, and King’s College London. It is funded through the government’s Gambling Levy and a total of £22.1 million will be invested in research throughout the year.

The centre will coordinate 19 research projects covering topics including gambling in sport, online gambling, and the structural drivers of harm.

What’s the objective?

The £1.4 billion annual burden of harmful gambling has a strenuous impact on healthcare and criminal justice systems.

Research has also linked gambling harms to depression, financial distress, and suicide, all areas where evidence-based research has been thin and not greatly resourced.

This makes it a top priority to develop effective prevention and treatment strategies that will help the UK Gambling Commission close the gap and take appropriate action.

The centre aims to train a new generation of gambling harm researchers and work with charities, health agencies, governments, UK casinos, and communities to build a safer gaming future.

By also including those with lived experience, they are making sure the research will truly reflect the real-world impact.

What the figures behind it say

Professor Heather Wardle from the University of Glasgow has stated that gambling research has been under-resourced and overlooked for too long.

Wardle describes that the new funding marks a vital reset aimed at strengthening the quality and scale of gambling harm research and ensuring policy is driven by independent evidence.

Christopher Smith from the Arts and Humanities Research Council says that the new independent evidence centre is taking a major step into building the high-quality research base they need to form better policies, prevention, and treatment across the UK.

Martin Jones, the centre's Lived Experience Lead, speaks as someone who has personally experienced gambling-related suicide in his family.

He adds that the research must be connected with the real harms and linked closely to real gambling harm affecting real people, not become an intellectual exercise sitting in isolation.

Independent research

The centre operates with no direct involvement from the commercial gambling industry. This ensures that the research is done with integrity and can also be considered more credible with no inside interference.

Independence gives the public the peace of mind that all findings are free from external influences.

Research will also explore the link and differences between iGaming and e-Gaming. And findings will also shape the future prevention and treatment initiatives funded via the levy.

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Families and those affected by gambling will also get to co-design the programmes, making it a little more community-focused. This is a historic step towards taking on gambling harms, combining academics, government funding and lived experience.

As findings begin to emerge, they're expected to directly influence UK gambling regulations and the design and funding of treatment programmes. For anyone affected by gambling harm, this is worth following closely.

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By Deni

Verified Casino Expert

Expertise: Casino Content Writing, Journalism & (PR), Gambling Regulations, Dutch & German Gambling Markets

Hi, I'm Deni! I'm a research obsessive with a passion for gambling regulations, market trends, and casino news. I dig deep into every topic I cover - so every article, review, or guide I write is built on solid research and real detail.

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Last updated: June 10, 2026

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UK launches its largest independent gambling harms research centre

What is the new Gambling Harms Research Centre?

What’s the objective?

What the figures behind it say