Can the New Levy Fix Problem Gambling Support in Scotland?

New research commissioned by the Scottish government suggests the new statutory gambling levy may have large gaps to fill. The study finds Scotland’s current problem gambling support system remains fragmented and heavily reliant on peer-led services.

Researchers found that the transition creates an opportunity to build a more coordinated treatment system. However, they warned that changing where the money comes from will not necessarily solve the structural problems that already exist.

Scotland’s problem gambling treatment gap

The scale of the challenge becomes clearer when looking at the number of people experiencing gambling harm, compared with those accessing specialist services.

Around 2.6% of adults in Scotland are estimated to experience harm as a result of their own gambling. However, just 0.55% of Scottish adults report using specialist gambling support services. Researchers concluded that there remains a ‘substantial gap’ between the estimated need for support and the number of people actually accessing it.

The study also found that problem gambling disproportionately affects Scotland’s more deprived communities. While 2.5% of Scottish adults recorded a Problem Gambling Severity Index score of eight or above, that rose to 9.7% among those living in the most deprived areas. In the least deprived areas, the equivalent figure was just 0.7%.

Identifying the right support

The study found that Scotland appeared to have good geographical coverage for gambling support. Around 81% of the population lives within ten miles of an in-person service.

However, the study also found that the type of treatment available presents a more complicated picture.

Researchers identified 92 physical gambling support venues across Scotland, but more than two thirds of those were operated by Gamblers Anonymous. This means that most of Scotland’s accessible, in-person provision consists solely of peer support.

Unlike peer to peer support, Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has some of the strongest evidence supporting its effectiveness. Yet, staggeringly few specialist providers that can offer CBT exist in Scotland. So while some treatment is available widely, effective treatment is much, much harder to access.

Can gambling levy funding fix the system?

The statutory levy will replace the previous voluntary funding arrangements. For Scotland, that creates an opportunity to rethink how problem gambling services are commissioned rather than simply replacing one source of money with another.

The report is clear, however, that this change alone will not be enough.

Researchers said moving away from industry-linked funding creates the conditions for greater independence, but ‘does not in itself guarantee changes in how the system operates’. Its success will instead depend on how levy funding is allocated and ultimately translated into services.

One of the most significant problems is the absence of a clearly defined route through Scotland’s treatment system. Currently, people can enter through specialist providers, community organisations, peer support or the National Gambling Helpline. However, referrals between those services are frequently informal and can depend on the relationships and knowledge of individual staff members.

The levy gives Scotland an opportunity to rebuild problem gambling support around the treatments that evidence suggests work best. Clearer referral pathways, better access to specialist treatment and greater integration between services will all be needed. The question now is whether the new system simply funds the fragmented network already in place, or uses the levy as an opportunity to reshape it.