'What investment will Scotland get from gambling levy?' asks Glasgow councillor

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Outside of London, Glasgow has the highest concentration of bookies in the UK; so how will Scotland weigh in when it comes to the gambling levy investments helping to tackle gambling harm? This is what Glasgow councillor, Laura Doherty, is asking.

The Gambling Commission have introduced a statutory levy that will tax all gross gambling revenue (GGR) of 1% in the UK, aiming to generate over £100m a year, which will be donated to causes and research for those struggling with gambling harm.

Laura Doherty a Glasgow gambling harms councillor, representing Shettleston, has called for action from the UK Government to find out just how much Scotland will be benefiting from the levy. 

Doherty has admitted that there are lots of people suffering from gambling problems in highly populated deprived areas, in and around Scotland, who need help but has challenged just how much of the levy Scotland will be seeing.

Of those deprived areas, the Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) has reported that one in 15 people suffer from gambling harms, which is approximately 45,000 people in Scotland.

Although she is in support of the levy, Doherty stated that although it has been revealed that 50% of the levy will be used towards treatment, there has been little clarity about what the remaining levy will be contributing towards; especially when it comes to Scotland.

Doherty stated: “The long overdue statutory gambling operator levy will replace the current voluntary levy which is not fit for purpose, however, we must see equitable funding come directly to Scotland and Glasgow in order to fund treatment and support its work on addressing gambling harms.

“The UK Treasury must design and deliver funding that is proportionate and fair and invests in those local communities where there is a proliferation of ‘environmental bads’ such as gambling fuelled by poverty and its harms addressed.

“Glasgow's track record of a whole systems approach involving researchers, stakeholders and people with lived experience sets it apart and due to this, Glasgow is best positioned as a city to develop a UK centre of excellence in addressing gambling harms, to fund research, education and treatment of gambling harms as outlined in the announcement today.”

The gambling levy is impacting the entire industry. Recently, FIRST spoke with Bingo Association CEO, Miles Baron, who revealed how hard the gambling levy will hit the bingo industry, he asked that the Government “let us get on with it”.