• The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has issued a stark warning that operators could have their licences revoked for failing to pay the new statutory levy on time.
• The first payments for the new mandatory levy, which replaces the old voluntary system for funding gambling harm initiatives, are due in full by 1 October 2025.
• The levy is a core part of the Gambling Act White Paper reforms and is expected to raise £100 million annually for research, prevention, and treatment ( RPT).
• Levy rates vary by activity, ranging from 0.1% of GGY for some land-based products up to 1.1% of GGY for online casino.
• The UKGC also clarified that any continued voluntary donations to charities like the outgoing GambleAware will not count towards an operator’s statutory levy payment.

Great Britain’s Gambling Commission has sent a clear and uncompromising message to all its licensees: the new statutory levy is a non-negotiable licence condition, and failure to comply could result in the ultimate sanction of licence revocation.

In a detailed update on the implementation of the new levy, the regulator has laid down a hard line from the outset. “Payment of the statutory levy is a licence requirement,” the UKGC stated. “Therefore, non-payment, or late payment of the statutory levy could result in operating licence revocation, unless the Gambling Commission is satisfied that this is due to administrative error.”

The Mechanics of the New Levy

The statutory levy officially replaced the old system of voluntary industry donations on 6 April this year, marking one of the most significant changes to come from the 2023 Gambling Act White Paper. The first invoices for the levy are being sent out, with payment due in full from all licensees by 1 October 2025.

The levy is calculated based on an operator’s Gross Gambling Yield ( GGY), with different rates applied to different activities. The rates are weighted to reflect perceived harm, ranging from 0.1% for some land-based activities up to a high of 1.1% for online casino operations. The initial payment will be calculated based on an operator’s regulatory returns from July 2024 to March 2025.

The End of the Voluntary Era

The UKGC also used its update to provide absolute clarity on the status of the old voluntary system. It confirmed that licensees are no longer required to make annual financial contributions to RPT. While operators can still choose to make voluntary donations to charities or other bodies, the regulator stressed that these payments will not count towards their statutory levy obligation, which must be paid in full.

This change in the funding model is the direct cause of the planned closure of GambleAware, the charity that has been the primary commissioner of RPT services for years, which will now wind down its operations by March 2026 as the new state-led system takes full control.

The UKGC’s firm and early warning is a clear signal to the industry that the era of “goodwill” contributions is over. The levy is now a legal and financial obligation on par with taxes and licence fees, and the threat of licence revocation for non-payment elevates the issue to the highest level of corporate governance and compliance.