Scope
Context
In April 2023, the Department for Culture, Media, and Sports (DCMS) published a white paper setting out the government’s plans for modernising regulation of the gambling sector. One of the key proposals in the white paper is the introduction of a statutory levy on gambling operators.
Following a public consultation, which ran from 17 October to 14 December 2023, and an analysis of the responses to the consultation, the government will introduce a statutory levy charged to all licenced gambling activity, at varying levels depending on the sector and nature of the gambling activity to ensure impacts are proportionate.
The statutory levy was introduced via secondary legislation and commenced in April 2025 with funding flowing later that year. The levy will be collected and administered by the Gambling Commission under the strategic direction of the government, replacing the current system of voluntary industry contributions.
Levy funding will be directed in specific proportions for the purposes of research, prevention, and treatment. Each stream of the levy system will also have a central commissioner. The streams are:
- research: 20% of funding to UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Gambling Commission for the establishment of a bespoke research programme
- prevention: 30% of funding to the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) to create a co-ordinated GB-wide approach to prevention
- treatment: 50% of funding to the NHS in England, Scotland, and Wales to commission treatment and support services
Within the stream of funding allocated to UKRI for the new Research Programme on Gambling (RPG), UKRI are commissioning a multi-disciplinary hub, called the Gambling Harms Research Coordination Centre (GHRCC).
This will coordinate a series of spokes, called the ‘Gambling Harms Research and Innovation Partnerships (GHRIP),’ intended to fill gaps in the existing evidence base, and assist UKRI in developing a research agenda following the introduction of the levy.
For more information on the background of this funding opportunity, go to the Additional Information section.
Gambling harms research coordination centre (GHRCC)
The UK government’s new Gambling Levy offers an innovative and exciting opportunity to fund interdisciplinary, relevant, and wide-ranging research to stimulate interest, capacity, and investment in the gambling research field.
The Gambling Harms Research Coordination Centre (GHRCC) is a significant opportunity to shape the field and make a major and lasting contribution to developing the UK’s understanding of gambling and gambling related harms.
The Centre will coordinate and maximise the impact of a range of activities commissioned by UKRI under the new gambling levy, including the GHRIPs, ensuring an integrated approach throughout. It will also be expected to lead, plan, deliver, and manage a multidisciplinary programme of research and devolved funding to identify gaps in the current evidence base, increase diversity, and expand the disciplinary reach of the gambling field.
This will require the Centre to build strong connections with a variety of stakeholders across research institutions, third sector organisations, internationally, and the general public, while facilitating the work and coordination of the GHRIPs.
These devolved awards will generate a rich and diverse portfolio of interdisciplinary research and innovation that directly engages with ongoing gambling research.
The Centre is expected to be a large-scale multi-institutional consortium with a considered approach to geographic spread, paying particular attention to the inclusion and involvement of devolved nations.
The Centre will bring together expertise from academic, industry, policy communities, and people with lived experience, working closely with cross-UKRI convened expert advice.
Gambling harms research and innovation partnerships (GHRIPs)
The Gambling Harms Research Innovation and Partnerships (GHRIPs) are being commissioned through a separate two-stage funding opportunity. It will act as a network to address critical gaps in the evidence base and support the development of innovative, stakeholder-informed responses to gambling-related harms.
These partnerships will act as thematic spokes within a wider research ecosystem, working collaboratively with a central coordination hub to generate actionable insights, build research capacity, and inform policy and practice across the UK.
Each GHRIP will develop and implement a programme of activity and devolved funding that will directly engage with the priorities of the UKRI Research Programme on Gambling (RPG).
Interactions between the GHRIP network, relevant stakeholders, and wider initiatives will be coordinated and led by the GHRCC.
The GHRCC will play a crucial role in connecting GHRIPs to the research, learning, expertise, and evidence needed to inform effective responses to tackling gambling harms.
With the support of the GHRCC, GHRIPs will engage with a range of organisations and investments to support their work programme to source the data, insights, and expertise they require.
Each GHRIP will be awarded through a two-phase process. Phase two awards will provide up to £5 million (100% FEC) per project for a duration of up to four years, with projects expected to commence in October 2026.
During phase one, the GHRCC will support GHRIP applicants in developing their proposals, facilitating shared learning, alignment of thematic priorities, and early-stage coordination across the network.
See the full GHRIP opportunity.
Research themes
Research themes explored by the RPG will look to address these initial areas of focus. The GHRCC should look to deliver and coordinate activities that align with these areas. While these areas have been identified by UKRI, we are open to applications across a broader range of topics.
Intersectionality
How overlapping identities, for example, race, gender, disability, shape gambling experiences and harms. This can also include experiences and drivers of gambling related harms and help-seeking in marginalised communities, for example, those who may face higher risks of gambling harm but are under-represented in research and support services.
We are committed to ensuring that our programming on gambling-related harm actively considers intersectionality and the full range of protected characteristics, recognising that experiences of harm are shaped by overlapping social, economic, and cultural factors, and that effective responses must be inclusive, equitable, and responsive to the needs of diverse communities.
Structural drivers
The role of the systemic, environmental, and institutional factors that create conditions for harmful gambling behaviours including culture, demography, housing, urban or rural development, and digital inequality in gambling behaviour, risk, and experience of gambling harms or both.
Direct/lived experience
Individual risk factors, for example, mental health conditions, neurodivergence, trauma, financial precarity, housing insecurity and community-led research into gambling.
Digital gambling ecosystems
The impact of personalisation and targeted advertising, new and changing marketing practices, access to multiple online gambling accounts, loot boxes, cryptocurrency-based esports, and algorithmic design on users, including vulnerable users such as children and adolescents.
Preventive, protective, and recovery factors
Most research focuses on harm, not resilience, recovery, or preventative practices by a range of actors, whether at the local community level, to healthcare and educational environments, to gambling firms and online platforms.
Co-occurring issues
Including mental health, substance use, and financial hardship, as well as potential integrated treatment models. Applicants should also consider the impact of financial harms.
Aim
The GHRCC will convene across the research ecosystem to help connect GHRIPs to the pre-existing and ongoing research and expertise on gambling research and facilitate their varied research and partnerships.
The project lead of the application should have a collaborative mindset, and excellent leadership and management abilities. The leadership of this Centre will be expected to engage closely with academic, government, industry, and third sector stakeholders.
The Centre is expected to fulfil the following aims:
Coordination of GHRIPs
- coordinate the Gambling Harms Research and Innovation Partnerships (GHRIP) and strengthen collaborations between researchers and stakeholders, attracting resources for research, innovation, knowledge exchange, and skills
- facilitate connections between GHRIPs and UKRI-funded investments, and support policymakers at both UK and national levels to engage with GHRIP initiatives,
Own research
- deliver a multidisciplinary programme of devolved funding activities, and develop and run open opportunities for research projects that will directly engage with the priorities of UKRI’s Research Programme on Gambling (RPG)
- develop new methods and approaches in gambling research, ensuring that data is accessible and useable for a wide range of stakeholders
Scoping
- assess and determine what the UK needs in terms of research, research and data infrastructure, and skills to support the development of this research area, addressing emerging challenges, and forecasting potential future developments
- identify research challenges, opportunities, and priorities for the programme with users, academia, government, industry, and third-sector stakeholders that need to be addressed over the lifetime of the Centre
Governance
- co-design elements of the project with UKRI and the wider levy system during the initial stages of the Centre, incorporating any relevant research and policy inputs
- establish an appropriate management and governance model with effective monitoring and evaluation, and support early career researchers
- facilitate engagement with national government and policy stakeholders, providing access to policy intelligence, evidence, and GHRIP experts
Capacity building
- build future research capacity via a cohort of funded PhD studentships engaged in the work of the Centre, and develop a programme of training and development for students to support their research and future careers
- build multi and interdisciplinary capability by leveraging existing partnerships, establishing new ones, and increasing diversity within the field of gambling research to include a wider set of researchers and academic disciplines, including routes for early career researchers and mid-career researchers
- ensure inclusive public engagement through collaborative and consultative processes, representing people from different regions, backgrounds, experiences, and beliefs across the UK in the research
- develop a clear EDI plan in all aspects of the Centre’s work, that fosters an inclusive and equitable research environment, with tangible/measurable impacts and process for evaluation
Rapid evidence reviews
UKRI will be commissioning a suite of rapid evidence reviews to help identify evidence gaps within the research and innovation ecosystem.
These will be publicly available in early 2026, and the successful centre will be expected to incorporate the outputs of these reviews into their workplan.
Flexible funding pot
At least 20% of the Centre’s funds must be devoted to planning, delivering, and managing a multidisciplinary programme of devolved funding activities. Flexibly conceived, these opportunities can cover a wide variety of activities, such as:
- commissioning of research and/or reports to respond to identified evidence gaps or partner needs
- supporting the participation of groups or organisations not identified at the application stage
- utilising new opportunities for public engagement that go beyond dissemination to also include, for example, helping to shape agendas, co-creating outputs, and co-delivering the work of the Centre
- funding opportunities for early or mid-career researchers to deliver research or undertake training.
Flexible funding activities can be costed as ‘Exceptions’ at 100% FEC.
Please ensure that all costs related to flexible funding are marked/prefaced with the initials ‘FF’ so that these costs can be clearly distinguished from funds related to direct funding of the Centre.
The Centre is expected to demonstrate a commitment to open/inclusive engagement with relevant expertise and capabilities, as well as responding to opportunities to expand networks and collaboration as appropriate opportunities arise.
Note: The 20% flexible funding requirement for the Centre is distinct from the 40% flexible funding allocation expected in Phase two GHRIP awards. This reflects the differing roles and scopes of the hub and spoke investments.
Studentships
The Centre will be expected to fund and support one cohort of PhD students. The successful applicant will demonstrate the capacity to manage and support a cohort of a minimum of five students.
Funding should be provided for four-year studentships, with the expectation that students be supported so that they can undertake training and development opportunities and submit within that period.
PhD studentships will commence at similar times and the Centre should look to establish common threads between the various work packages taking place within the Centre, to enable collaboration and engagement between students, as a cohort.
Students should start no later than January 2027. Part-time studentships are permitted under this programme.
You will be expected to demonstrate that an established structure will be in place for the students to engage beyond working with their supervisors. The Centre can advertise specific projects but there should still be scope for recruited students to include their own interests and ideas.
Please Note: Costings for the studentship programme should be included in your application but will ultimately be awarded to the successful host research organisation as a separate doctoral training grant. This separate grant will include costs for stipends, fees and research training support (RTSG). Costings for other support including further individual or cohort student development activity should be included in the main award. This separate training grant is permitted to run beyond the end date of the centre award.
Costings should be calculated at the following indicative rates:
Indicative tuition fee rate: £5,006
Minimum stipend (outside London): £20,780
Minimum stipend (within London): £22,780
Uplift for Collaborative Doctoral Awards: £600
Research Training Support Grant (RTSG): £600
This is per annum, and you need to calculate based on four-year studentships. Please calculate on a flat rate, an uplift will be added to the training grant, as applicable.
If your studentship cohort has a mix of students based at universities within and outside London, we recommend you make an estimate of the split in cost and include this information in the ‘Associated project studentships’ section of the UKRI Funding Service form.
Similarly, if you intend to offer collaborative doctoral awards, you may include an additional £600 per annum for the estimated number of studentship awards.
Public engagement
We believe that effective, equitable, and two-way public engagement across the lifecycle of the Centre will be vital to its success.
Gambling is a widely popular leisure activity that plays a significant role in many people’s lives and is part of a growing and evolving sector. This makes research into gambling-related harms both timely and of broad public interest. Public engagement will be especially important in ensuring that the Centre reflects the diverse experiences, insights, and concerns of people affected by gambling in different ways. In particular, individuals with lived experience will offer essential perspectives that can shape the relevance, ethics, and impact of the Centre’s research.
Your application must clearly demonstrate:
- your overall vision for public engagement throughout the Centre with a particular focus on collaborative or consultative public engagement
- how you have engaged the public in the development of your application
- how you will continue to enable public participation in your project at every stage, including delivery, outcomes, and evaluation
- how you will evaluate the effectiveness of your public engagement activities and embed co-creation practices throughout the Centre’s lifecycle
UKRI is committed to breaking down the barriers between research, innovation, and society, with the three strategic goals of:
- building a sense of shared endeavour
- making sure the benefits of research and innovation are shared widely and supported by collaboration and diverse forms of knowledge
- creating opportunities for all by inspiring and engaging the next generation
Equitable partnerships
Partnerships within and beyond HEIs across the third sector, community groups, industry, and the public sector are essential for the Centre. These partnerships could be new or existing.
You have flexibility to work with potential partners in whatever way is best for that particular collaboration. This might be including them as project partners, or collaborating organisations that could, for example, help to deliver public engagement activity for the Centre.
Whichever form the partnership takes, we expect you to demonstrate in your application that the partnerships are equitable in nature. How they are equitable will depend on the nature of the collaboration and the needs of the partners involved.
As a minimum, we expect you to show how partners have supported the conceptualisation and development of the application and will contribute to the delivery and leadership of the Centre, how their knowledge, expertise, and time are being valued and supported, and how the relationship is mutually beneficial.
We are also keen to see evidence of how your institution will support these partnerships through, for example, flexibility in disbursement of funds, payment processes and practices which have often been raised as a barrier to participation, and engagement and capacity building beyond the work on the Centre.
With the exception of the allowance of project co-leads from UK business, our normal rules around project partners apply. Broadly, project partners are those organisations who would make a significant direct or in-kind contribution to the cost of the Centre.
Collaborating organisations are those whose costs would be covered by the grant provided by us.
We acknowledge that the use of the ‘project partner’ and ‘collaborating organisation’ terminology is problematic and can undermine the relationships you build up, particularly with those organisations and groups which would rely on the funding to enable their participation, but who are nonetheless essential to your proposed work.
We hope the inclusion of the additional types of project co-leads helps with this by providing the opportunity for both funding and recognition. Where this is not possible, we want to emphasise that the ‘project partner’ and ‘collaborating organisation’ terms are only used to help with the assessment where we need to confirm the validity of any proposed contributions.
When developing your application and in delivering your Centre, you are free to refer to your partners in whatever way best meets the needs of those partnerships.
Management and structure
Taking into account the requirements around EDI, public engagement, broad consortiums, and equitable partnerships, you should carefully consider the structure of your proposed Centre to ensure it is best positioned to successfully deliver meaningful and impactful progress against the three objectives.
The Centre will need to have clear plans for:
- how leadership will be managed across the collaboration, including the role that partners will play in leading the Centre
- how the management of the Centre and its activities will be carried out, including details of project management and administration resources
- succession of leadership and roles across and beyond the lifetime of the Centre, particularly with a view to the sustainability of the Centre
- how existing partnerships will be managed, and new partnerships explored in an effective, equitable, and sustainable way
Advisory group and project board
We will work with the appointed Centre to set up an advisory group. The terms of reference for the advisory group will be agreed with the Centre and the group itself, but we expect it will support the work of the centre through its knowledge and access to wider networks.
This includes having the expertise and links to guide and support the Centre with regards to aspects like public engagement, EDI, and equitable partnership development. This group will be a mix of academics, stakeholders, and policymakers, and will include a diverse group of people. The final membership will be agreed between AHRC and the appointed Centre. The group will meet at least three times a year and will use a mix of virtual, in-person and hybrid meetings.
The advisory group will feed into governance structures for the UKRI RPG and wider levy system.
The Centre will need to have clear plans for how it would make effective use of the advisory group. To avoid key partners being inundated with requests, you do not need to specify particular individuals or evidence their commitment to joining the group in your application.
The Centre will have to include capacity for organising and supporting the meetings and the costs will be covered by the Centre’s budget. Costs would include travel and subsistence for members attending meetings, as well as any other costs related to hosting the meeting such as venue, technology, and refreshments. We would advise budgeting for at least one in-person meeting a year. This should be factored into your application.
In addition, we will appoint a project board which will include the senior responsible owner in AHRC, the project lead for the Centre, and other members of AHRC and UKRI staff.
The project board will be responsible for monitoring the progress of the Centre and ensuring it delivers against our objectives. The board will meet monthly for the first three months before reviewing the frequency.
We anticipate reducing the frequency of the meetings to bi-monthly or quarterly after the start up period but will discuss with the appointed Centre. The meetings will use both virtual and in-person settings. We will be responsible for running this board, but you will need to budget for travel for the project lead to join at least two in person meetings at the UKRI office in Swindon per year.
Outcomes
Together, the GHRIPs and the GHRCC will support the following outcomes:
Expected outcomes include:
- creating stronger and more diverse partnerships by investing in the capability and capacity required for multi-partner collaboration, bringing the right stakeholders together at the right time
- enhancing understanding of thematic priorities by surfacing evidence gaps, stakeholder needs and opportunities for innovation through collaborative scoping and analysis
- increasing readiness for delivery by developing credible, co-designed models for phase two activity that reflect the scale, ambition and complexity of the challenge
- strengthening capacity for collaborative research by embedding inclusive, interdisciplinary approaches and supporting the involvement of underrepresented voices and sectors
- supporting collaboration across the GHRIP network by fostering shared learning, alignment of approaches and opportunities for joint activity, coordinated through the GHRCC
- embedding meaningful public and community engagement by involving people with lived experience and wider publics in shaping research priorities and approaches
- enhancing the evidence base to inform a future national strategy on the reduction of gambling harms
Impact
We are particularly keen to see clear, well evidenced plans for translating the work of the Centre and the GHRIPs into policy impacts and outcomes. These could be local, national, or international in scope and should draw on the priorities of relevant, for example, policy makers, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), and community groups.
This work should be informed and supported by a robust programme of public engagement activities, particularly engaging people with lived experience.
You must demonstrate how you will deliver significant impact within and beyond research. As part of this you must include a logic model in your application demonstrating the changes the Centre will bring about, and how your Centre will bring about those changes.
Research ethics
You must ensure that the activities and research of the Centre will be carried out to a high ethical standard. Gambling and the themes and topics highlighted have the potential to be very sensitive and applicants are expected to have carefully considered all potential issues, safeguarding requirements, and best practice.
You must clearly state how any potential ethical, safeguarding, and health and safety issues have been considered and will be addressed, ensuring that all necessary ethical approval is in place and all risks are minimised before the centre commences. This is particularly important in the context of any planned public engagement activity and the involvement of people with lived experience, both of which may require specific consideration.
We encourage applicants to make use of relevant resources on UKRI’s Good Research Resource Hub.
Monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL)
We will work with the successful Centre to agree a monitoring and evaluation plan in the starting phase of the award. In addition to standard Research Fish reporting, this is likely to include light touch quarterly reporting, including providing data required for internal reporting mechanisms, and more detailed annual reporting which will also include studentships and awards made via flexible funding.
UKRI may also request for some form of interim and final evaluation or report.
We also expect to draw on the expertise of the Centre to respond to other internal and external ad hoc reporting requests. You should ensure your application includes sufficient staff time to support this.
You will need to demonstrate how you will measure progress against the Centre’s objectives and your own logic model, track impacts, and share learning with us and others. This should include plans for how the Centre will measure a baseline against which any progression can be compared.
Costs associated with project co-leads from UK business, civil society, community, or government bodies
The costs which can be claimed for project co-leads from business, civil society (including third sector), community, and government bodies vary depending on the type of organisation the project co-lead is contracted to.
All costs for project co-leads from business, civil society, community, and government bodies which are to be charged to the grant must be listed as exceptions and must be directly related to delivery of the Centre. Costs requested must also not duplicate any existing funding.
Project co-leads from businesses and civil society organisations in receipt of a subsidy
Applications which include project co-leads from UK business or from civil society organisations must ensure that the involvement of these organisations comply with the UK Subsidy Control Act 2022. This Act regulates how public funding is used to manage any advantage which threatens to or actually distorts competition in the United Kingdom, any other country or countries, or both (UK Subsidy Control Regime).
Both businesses and civil society organisations may be within the scope of the Act as the test is whether the organisation is engaged in economic activity.
Project co-leads from businesses and civil society organisations in receipt of a subsidy may claim the following costs:
- staff salary
- travel and subsistence
- other direct costs
Project co-leads from civil society and community
Project co-leads from civil society and community organisations may claim the following costs:
- staff salary
- staff national insurance and superannuation
- travel and subsistence
- other direct costs
- overheads and indirect costs
Project co-leads from government
Project co-leads from government may claim the following costs:
- staff salary (subject to note below)
- travel and subsistence
- other direct costs
We would not normally expect to see salary costs for government project co-leads applied for. However, we would allow it in some circumstances, for example:
- where they are part time, and the work related to the centre would be in addition to their usual contracted hours
- where they are required to secure external funding in order to conduct research
- where their organisation only agrees to release their time, provided they can secure funding for a replacement to cover their work
Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI)
The Centre must demonstrate a commitment to building an inclusive leadership and management team that reflects the wider diversity of the research and innovation community. You must ensure that proactive equality, diversity, and inclusion measures are built into the structure of the Centre at a fundamental level.
This commitment to promoting and implementing EDI includes both the management and core research teams, as well as the design and delivery of the devolved funding activities run by the Centre, and student recruitment and support. The Centre should be an EDI role model for the community.
Multidisciplinarity/interdisciplinarity
You must adopt a broad disciplinary approach to the development of the Centre. UKRI would like as many of its research and innovation communities represented within the Centre as possible. Ideally applications should include representatives from across a range of research council remit areas within the Centre’s leadership and research teams.
In addition, you are encouraged to ensure that the Centre includes representation from industry.
Sustainability
You should demonstrate how you will approach issues of environmental sustainability within your project. Wherever possible, projects should take a proactive approach to reducing their environmental impact and carbon footprint.
Stage-gate review
A formal stage-gate will be built into the award to align with the financial cycle of the statutory levy system. This review will assess progress against key milestones and strategic objectives. Continued funding beyond this point will be subject to satisfactory delivery, governance, and alignment with the evolving national strategy on gambling harms.
Duration
The duration of this award is five years.
Centre must start on 1 February 2026.
Funding available
The FEC of your project can be up to £10,000,000.
While there is no formal minimum funding threshold, you should note that applications significantly below the maximum available amount will need to clearly demonstrate how they will deliver equivalent impact, reach, and sustainability. We encourage you to consider how your proposed budget aligns with the scale of the funding opportunity.
The devolved funding strand (a minimum of 20% of total budget) should be costed at 100% FEC, other (non-Exceptions) costs should be costed at 80% FEC in line with standard UKRI terms and conditions.
Guidance on costs for non-academic organisations is available the UKRI website.
See also Innovate UK terms and conditions for further details of expectations for non-academic organisations and Innovate UK funding rules on considerations for applications from businesses.
We recognise that some applicants or partners may be employed by a government-funded organisation. You must therefore avoid the double counting of public funds in the costings.
Supporting skills and talent
UKRI supports over 25k FTE of R&I staff directly on grants, many more if indirect costs, facility charges and strategic funding streams are included. Those skilled people and teams design our studies, deliver the R&I work and disseminate the outputs. They are the R&I system; and mission critical to delivering the outcomes we invest in.
Our expectations for people and teams are collated on the supporting skills and talent section of the good research resource hub. In this opportunity we are piloting a new approach to embedding consideration of people and teams in our assessment. You can find the assessment criteria for integrating support for people and teams in your application in the people and teams assessment guidance.
You should evidence a strong commitment to supporting the development of researchers at all stages of their career. We encourage you to follow the principles of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers and the Technician Commitment.
The Centre should include a strong career development programme, shaped to suit the stage of the researchers’ career and providing increased opportunities for professional development. This should include, but not be limited to, the early and mid-career stages. Increasing capacity contributes to the quality and impact of the research. We encourage you to consider how you can support capacity building for all members of the project team.
In managing the cohort of PhD students, applicants should consult the UKRI Statement of expectations for doctoral training and utilise UKRI’s good practice principles in recruitment and training at a doctoral level. The studentship grant will be subject to UKRI’s terms and conditions for training funding.
Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I)
UKRI is committed in ensuring that effective international collaboration in research and innovation takes place with integrity and within strong ethical frameworks. Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I) is a UKRI work programme designed to help protect all those working in our thriving and collaborative international sector by enabling partnerships to be as open as possible, and as secure as necessary. Our TR&I Principles set out UKRI’s expectations of organisations funded by UKRI in relation to due diligence for international collaboration.
As such, applicants for UKRI funding may be asked to demonstrate how their proposed projects will comply with our approach and expectation towards TR&I, identifying potential risks and the relevant controls you will put in place to help proportionately reduce these risks.
Further guidance and information about TR&I, including where applicants can find additional support.
