Regulatory
Statutory Levy
Reviewed by iGaming Times editorial teamLast reviewed 24 September 2026
What is Statutory Levy?
A mandatory charge on licensed gambling operators, set in law and calculated as a share of revenue, used to fund research, prevention and treatment of gambling harm.
Key takeaways
- A statutory levy is a legally mandated charge on gambling operators, set as a share of revenue, to fund harm research, prevention and treatment.
- Replacing voluntary donations removes industry discretion over recipients and the accusation of capture that came with it.
- The handover is the main risk: frontline services must keep running while the new mechanism is set up and first distributed.
Why it matters
A statutory levy replaces voluntary industry donation, and the change is more consequential than it appears. Voluntary funding leaves the industry choosing which organisations receive money and how much, which exposes recipients to accusations of capture and leaves them unable to plan. A levy set in law removes both the discretion and the accusation.
The transition is where the difficulty sits. Charities funded voluntarily must continue operating while the new mechanism is stood up, collected and distributed, and a gap in the middle falls on frontline services rather than on the bodies designing the scheme. Organisations have had to hold reserves specifically to bridge it.
The rate and the base are separately contested. Operators argue that a levy on gross revenue bears hardest on lower-margin land-based businesses, while public health bodies argue that anything short of a meaningful share of revenue leaves treatment capacity far below need.
The bottom line
A statutory levy fixes who pays and removes the industry's discretion over who benefits. The design risk is not the rate but the handover.
Sources
- The Gambling Levy Regulations 2025 - legislation.gov.uk
Statutory Levy elsewhere on iGaming Times
In the news
- UK Gambling Commission Confirms Operator Settlement Money Will Go to the Treasury23 July 2026
- UK Launches Largest Independent Gambling Harms Research Centre Backed by £22 Million13 May 2026
- GamCare Gambling Debt Referrals More Than Double in 2025 as Average Personal Debt Hits £21,000 and January 2026 Sets New Record18 March 2026
Frequently asked questions
What is a statutory gambling levy?
A statutory levy is a mandatory charge on licensed gambling operators, set in law and calculated as a share of revenue, used to fund research, prevention and treatment of gambling harm. It replaces voluntary industry donations, so operators no longer choose which organisations receive money or how much, which removes both the discretion and the accusation of capture.
How does the statutory levy work in Great Britain?
The Gambling Levy Regulations 2025 came into force on 6 April 2025 and apply in England, Wales and Scotland. The levy is a percentage of each operator's leviable amount, with rates set by licence type: 1.1% for remote casino, remote betting, remote bingo and gambling software licences, for example, and 0.5% for several non-remote licences, including land-based casinos.
Why is the statutory levy contested?
Both the rate and the base are disputed. Operators argue that a levy on gross revenue bears hardest on lower-margin land-based businesses, while public health bodies argue that anything short of a meaningful share of revenue leaves treatment capacity far below need. The move from voluntary funding also risks a gap that falls on frontline services.