Gamban restores free gambling-blocking service in England after OHID funding

Gamban has announced that its service in England will be free again, after it did the same in Wales earlier in the year. The company reversed the change following funding approved by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID).

Gamban had moved to a subscription-only model after the government introduced the statutory gambling harms levy. The source describes Gamban as a self-exclusion platform used across gambling companies, serving gamblers who are experiencing harm. Its technology is reportedly based on the lived experience of people who have had problem gambling and gambling harm.

Before the levy, operators gave money voluntarily each year to a research, treatment and education system run under GambleAware, which has since closed. The NHS now handles collection and oversight of contributions throughout England, Scotland and Wales. For prevention, OHID distributes the money, while UKRI is responsible for research. Early on, gambling harm charities and prevention organisations in the UK cautioned that selective funding could put them at risk of closing or providing limited services.

The report said Gamban's announcement followed a fresh funding round from OHID and the allocation of the Gambling Harms Prevention Fund. It added that Gamban had announced free services in Wales in April, where the local government is supporting problem gambling services as part of a renewed national strategy.

Gamban expressed disappointment at the first decision, which had ended free access to its service in England. It added that everyone at the company took heart from supportive messages sent by other bodies working on gambling harm prevention. Gamban described the funding as "an important opportunity to work with partners across the sector", with the aim of reaching more people at no cost.