GamCare reported £19.9 million in income and £16 million in reserves for 2025-2026, its final full financial year before Great Britain moved to statutory gambling harm funding.
The latest annual report of the charity, published on 27th August 2026, reports the year ending on 31st March. From 1st of April, gambling harm services moved from the contributions made by the industry and managed by GambleAware to the new statute levy system.
GamCare’s total income has decreased by 2% from the previous year, reaching £19.9m, while expenses decreased by 8% reaching £14.8m, making a surplus of £5.1m.
GambleAware contributed 70% of income via service agreements and grants, of which £1.9m is the last one-time funding before its closure. Additionally, Allwyn supported the charity with £1.7 m for its Women’s Pathway program.
Donations went down by 44% bringing the number of donations to £4.2 million, but somewhat explained by the fact that many extraordinary donations were fully accounted for in the previous fiscal year. GamCare claims that transition to public commissioning also implies that gambling operators cannot make donations anymore thus limiting the fundraising opportunities of charities in the future.
The total reserves increased by 46% reaching £16m with £2.4m accounting for restricted funds and £2m being allocated for the digital development.
Under the new system of commissioning, GamCare maintained its contracts for the National Gambling Helpline and its treatment and outreach contracts in various parts of England, as well as its funding for the Highlands and Islands in Scotland.
Nevertheless, GamCare’s Helpline services in Wales were not renewed. According to the charity, this is due to commissioning choices made when the funding was being transferred. Nonetheless, calls from Welsh residents continue to be accepted by the Helpline, the charity claims.
GamCare Chair Margot Daly said:
The Board’s priority throughout was to keep the quality of services at the centre of every decision. Independent CQC assessments found GamCare’s National Gambling Helpline, treatment and outreach services to be safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led, with care focused on the needs and preferences of the people who use them. After nearly three decades in this sector, we know that periods of change are when quality and continuity matter most, and as we continue delivering in England and Scotland under the new arrangements, that is where our focus will stay.
GamCare has expressed its concerns regarding the stability of funding under the new commissioning system, especially since almost all newly contracted funding currently lasts for only a year. Furthermore, the charity has used all of its resources and savings to help many of the individuals who have faced challenges in accessing services during the transition process.
In the future, GamCare will publish a new report discussing the damaging effects of gambling with cryptocurrency and will start its national initiative of helping those who have suffered from gambling-related problems.