OHID Directs Levy Recipients to Avoid Safer Gambling Week Promotion

The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) has instructed recipients of statutory levy funds not to promote Safer Gambling Week. This directive stems from OHID’s view that the event is an “industry-led initiative and is therefore not independent of the gambling industry,” according to an email.

What Happened

The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), the government unit responsible for distributing statutory levy funds, has communicated to its recipients a request to refrain from promoting Safer Gambling Week. This instruction, conveyed via email, asserts that Safer Gambling Week is an “industry-led initiative and is therefore not independent of the gambling industry,” as reported by EGR on November 11, 2026.

This development occurs amidst ongoing discussions regarding the structure, distribution, and governance of the statutory levy on gambling operators. The UK government’s response to a consultation on this levy outlined its intentions for funding and oversight (GOV.UK). OHID has previously included organizations such as Gambling with Lives and Gamban in its Levy Prevention Fund, as noted by iGaming-times.com.

Key Details

• OHID, the government body allocating statutory levy funds, issued the directive (EGR).
• The instruction specifically advises against promoting Safer Gambling Week (EGR).
• OHID’s reasoning is that Safer Gambling Week is “an industry-led initiative and is therefore not independent of the gambling industry” (EGR).

Why It Matters

This directive from OHID underscores a regulatory stance on the perceived independence of safer gambling initiatives funded by or associated with the statutory levy. The government’s perspective, as communicated by OHID, highlights a distinction between industry-led campaigns and those deemed independent. This may influence how future responsible gambling initiatives are structured and promoted within the regulated market, particularly concerning their funding sources and perceived impartiality.

The broader context includes a government consultation and response regarding the statutory levy’s structure, distribution, and governance, indicating an evolving framework for funding gambling harm prevention and treatment (GOV.UK). Reports from NEXT.io suggest that some groups are considering judicial review following recent statutory levy funding awards, signaling ongoing debate and scrutiny over the allocation of these funds.

What’s Next

The direct impact of OHID’s instruction on Safer Gambling Week’s promotion by levy recipients remains to be observed. The ongoing discussions and potential legal challenges, such as those reported by NEXT.io regarding judicial review over levy funding, suggest continued regulatory and industry scrutiny of how gambling harm prevention efforts are funded and executed.