GamCare’s 2025/26 Annual Report Details Service Quality Ahead of Levy Shift

GamCare’s 2025/26 Trustee’s Annual Report confirms that the charity continued delivering responsive and high-quality gambling harm support throughout a transformative financial year. Between April 2025 and March 2026, GamCare supported thousands across Great Britain and prepared for the shift from voluntary levy funding to the new statutory levy, applicable from April 2026 in England and Scotland.

Transition from Voluntary to Statutory Levy for Gambling Support

This year marked the end of the voluntary levy system for funding gambling harm support services in Great Britain. From April 2026, new statutory levy arrangements take effect, changing how organisations like GamCare are commissioned and funded. The report makes clear that, throughout these changes, GamCare prioritised service continuity and quality. Margot Daly, Chair of Trustees, stated the Board kept "the quality of services at the centre of every decision", underlining that care remained focused on the needs and preferences of users during the funding transition.

Independent Assessment and Regulatory Approval

The Care Quality Commission (CQC), the independent health and social care regulator in England, conducted assessments of GamCare’s National Gambling Helpline, treatment, and outreach services. These services were rated as safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well led. The report highlights that the CQC also confirmed GamCare’s independence from gambling industry influence. Separately, the National Gambling Helpline received its three-year certification compliant with the Helplines Standard from the Helplines Partnership. These endorsements validate GamCare's operational standards and safeguarding practices as it enters the statutory levy era.

GamCare’s Support, Treatment and Outreach Results: 2025/26

In the 2025/26 reporting year, GamCare responded to over 114,000 contacts through its Helpline and online channels. Over 11,400 onward referrals were made into treatment, while 17,700 contacts led to connections with wider services beyond initial gambling harm support. When individuals engaged with treatment services, the average wait for a full assessment was 2.4 days. Across the year, GamCare provided more than 10,300 sessions to 811 clients, maintaining continuity by, wherever possible, assigning the same practitioner to each case.

Feedback and outcome data were positive:

• Nearly 97% of clients completing treatment reported a positive change in circumstances.
• On the Standard Clinical Measure of Gambling Harm, average scores declined from 14.4 on entry to 3.3 on exit.
• Scores on a separate measure of psychological distress also fell by more than half.

“Behind every one of this year’s 114,000 contacts...is a person who chose to ask for support – often for the first time. Whether that begins with a call at two in the morning, a live chat during a lunch-break, or a message sent in private, our role is the same: to listen without judgement and help each person take the next step that is right for them.” — Victoria Corbishley, Chief Executive, GamCare

Training and Early Intervention: Education, Prevention, and Outreach

GamCare expanded its educational and outreach activities during 2025/26. Its education, prevention and outreach programmes reached 17,100 individuals before harm escalated. Over 2,100 professionals were trained to identify gambling-related harm across sectors including health and social care, criminal justice, financial services, and the Armed Forces. The charity’s focus on early intervention and professional capacity building supports pathways to prevention and effective response, reinforcing its core mission within Great Britain’s gambling harm landscape.

Outlook: Commissioning Mandate and Sector Role

Following its performance under the voluntary system, GamCare has secured funding from new commissioners in both England and Scotland. The transition to statutory levy commissioning, taking effect in April 2026, provides a new operating context for the charity. According to Chief Executive Victoria Corbishley, GamCare holds a "clear mandate, a proven model, and an unwavering commitment" as it moves forward under the new regime. The continued emphasis is on quality service, prompt response, and person-centred support, a position underpinned by recent performance metrics and external endorsements.

A broader context for policy professionals can be found in regulation and news sections that track the implications of new levy models and commissioning frameworks across the sector.