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Commissioning

Commissioning

GambleAware is a charity and leading strategic commissioner. We use an outcomes-focused systematic commissioning process.

Strategic Commissioning  

We are an independent charity working to reduce gambling harms, and the strategic commissioner of gambling harm prevention and treatment across Great Britain. By understanding and assessing the needs of the population and engaging with stakeholders, as well as people with lived experience, we determine priorities, allocate resources and develop commissioning outcomes.  

Focused on better outcomes we: 

  • Procure a range of evidence-informed, high-quality services based on the needs of population 
  • Generate robust and independent evidence through our research, evaluation and monitoring functions  
  • Use robust governance processes or procurement, monitoring and evaluation 
  • Provide service users with the choice on when and how they access support  
  • Establish pilot and proof of concept services to prove what works best for people  
  • Deliver regular reports, public accountability and robust evaluation 

How to apply for funding 

Through an outcomes-focused systematic commissioning process, we define, prioritise and plan a range of interventions against specific outcomes. We will then consider the most appropriate route to market to enable delivery including contracting services, awarding grants, partnerships and co-production.  

We do not consider ad-hoc funding requests. We welcome potential applicants to look on our website and social media channels for advertised opportunities of funding. The outcome of competitive processes will be published on our website.   

If you wish to receive notification of tenders and funding rounds, please email us at info@gambleaware.org and request to be added to our procurement mailing list.  

Non-competition 

From 1 April 2023, where an organisation has been awarded funding without competition (e.g. because they play a unique role in the system) this will be published on our website, along with the rationale.  

It is our responsibility to make the best use of our resources and funding. In almost all cases, competition will be used as a mechanism to do this.   

Procurement and Route to Market

We deliver activity through a range of routes to market. Find out more about our live funding rounds and tender opportunities. 

Regulatory Settlement Funding 

The Gambling Commission has allocated regulatory settlement funding to us in accordance with their Statement of Principles for determining financial penalties.  

We are uniquely placed to ensure the regulatory settlement funds are effectively distributed to reduce harm across England, Scotland and Wales. In keeping with the Gambling Commission’s Statement of Principles, funding from regulatory settlements to GambleAware will be used for specific, agreed purposes that accelerate our commissioning plans, including the reduction of inequalities, building capacity and understanding of harms and raising awareness of the issue. 

Regulatory Settlement Fund: Contracted projects 

The following list provides information on current Regulatory Settlement funded projects. This information will be updated regularly.

Project Organisation(s)
System Stabilisation Fund 1.0 YGAM, BetBlocker, Epic Restart Foundation, and Gambling Harm UK
Mobilising Local Systems - Equipping systems with data Parallel
Regulation of gambling marketing scoping studyIpsos
Mobilising Local Systems - related data & evidence 2023/24 Senate / Polimapper, OSCI, Ipsos
Inequalities Framework Stakeholders Mapping Alma Economics Limited
Effective interventions for the treatment of gambling that is associated with harm: Scoping Study NatCen Social Research
Further Research: LGBTQ+ CommunitiesThe University of Brighton + YouGov

Regulatory Settlement Fund: Existing and upcoming opportunities

This section will be regularly updated with information on existing and upcoming commissioning activities supported by this Regulatory Settlement funding. Funding opportunities include:

  • System Stabilisation Fund - August & November 2023. Closed for applications
  • Regulatory Settlement Funded Research - Closed for applications
  • Improving Outcomes for Minority Communities and Women affected by gambling harm (formerly titled as Supporting System Innovations). Closed for applications
  • Mobilising Local Systems Funding Programme (formerly titled as Demonstrator Sites) – Phase 1: February 2024 (closed for applications) & Phase 2: Funding window open between April — October 2024

Please find more information on each opportunity below: 

1. System Stabilisation Fund - closed for applications

In keeping with the Gambling Commission’s Statement of Principles, funding from regulatory settlements to GambleAware will be used for specific, agreed purposes that accelerate our commissioning plans. One of the ways GambleAware is distributing these funds is through the System Stabilisation Fund. This fund is aimed at stabilising the system of gambling harm prevention, support, and treatment during the transition period from a voluntary to a statutory levy system. The fund is for organisations who have been impacted by the release of the white paper on gambling reform. This includes organisations whose funding has been disrupted, as well as organisations who are looking to proactively move away from industry funding. This funding is not intended to replace the voluntary donations funding model.

The table below details the outcome of the System Stabilisation Fund Round 1 - which was advertised in August 2023. The information includes the name of the successful applicants, the type of agreement award, the value that has been granted and start and end date of the grant agreement. One the agreement has ended there is not an option to extend past this date. 

OrganisationValueAgreement TypeStart DateInitial End Date
BetBlocker£45,000.00Grant01/10/202331/03/2024
EPIC Restart Foundation£279,313.00Grant01/10/202331/03/2024
Gambling Harm UK£42,440.00Grant01/10/202331/03/2024
YGAM£1,500,000.00Grant01/10/202331/03/2024

2. Regulatory Settlement Funded Research  

We will release funding on a rolling basis for a number of research opportunities. We anticipate the first call for proposals will be released by December 2023 of this financial year, and that research opportunities will include, for example: Scoping Studies, Open Call for Proposals and Primary Research Programmes. 

Researching and developing a new framework of gambling related harm call for proposals - closed for applications
GambleAware has announced a primary research funding opportunity to build on the findings of our recently published scoping review. This research should build on existing literature to establish an ongoing framework and measurement tool of gambling harms. This will address existing issues of conflating harms and behaviours, and avoid the use of stigmatising labels and the discrimination this causes, particularly for marginalised or minoritised communities. Closed for applications.

Open call for proposals - closed for applications
GambleAware has announced an open call for proposals for research to build the understanding of gambling harm across Great Britain, with a particular focus on building knowledge and understanding focussing on communities who bear disproportionate burden of gambling harm. A total maximum of 8 research grants will be awarded to grantees, and the budget envelope for each research grant is £247,900 over 18 months. Closed for applications.

LGBTQ+ call for proposals - closed for applications
GambleAware has announced a primary research funding opportunity to build the understanding of gambling harms in the LGBTQ+ community. In particular, this programme will build the evidence base on the structural drivers of harm or barriers to accessing support faced by the LGBTQ+ community. The budget envelope for this research grant is £297,900 over 18 months. Closed for applications.

Self-directed tools and strategies call for proposals - closed for applications
GambleAware has announced a primary research funding opportunity to build on the findings of our recently published scoping review. This research should investigate and test the motivations, efficacy and use of self-directed tools and strategies amongst those who experience gambling-related harms, particularly for marginalised communities or other communities who face additional barriers to accessing treatment in GB. The budget envelope for this research grant is £297,900 over 18 months. Closed for applications.

3. Improving Outcomes for women and minority communities affected by gambling harm - closed for applications

This funding programme is a response to research published by GambleAware in 2023 (the minority communities & gambling harm quantitative and qualitative reports and the women's lived experience of gambling and gambling harms report). 

These pieces of research demonstrate that people from particular groups in society face additional burdens of gambling harm, as well as barriers in accessing services which meet their needs. This fund aims to drive change within the sector by investing in activities which respond to the research recommendations. The overall ambition is to reduce the inequalities which exist relating to gambling harm for women and people from minority religious and ethnic minority communities. 

Closed for applications.

4. Mobilising Local Systems Funding Programme

One of GambleAware’s strategic priorities is to transform capacity and capability by collaborating with public and voluntary sector organisations across England, Scotland, and Wales to support growth of an integrated system to prevent and reduce gambling harms.

The ‘Mobilising Local Systems’ (MLS) programme was established in 2022, and aims to support the continued development of an integrated system: ensuring that organisations, at a local and regional level, can deliver preventative interventions, support early identification of gambling harms, deliver holistic support and treatment, as well as ensuring people are able to live in communities that support their ongoing recovery.  
 

As part of the wider MLS programme, GambleAware has developed the MLS Funding Programme, which consists of two phases.

Phase 1 of the funding programme (now closed for applications) was aimed at supporting opportunities within the National Gambling Support Network (NGSN) to build collaborative ways of working with stakeholders across each region to help create a more integrated approach to gambling harms. These awards of up to £30K were agreed in March 2024.

Phase 2 of the MLS Funding Programme will provide a funding opportunity for NGSN Regional Boards to develop new approaches which lead to improved integration within local systems. The overall aim is to enable more people experiencing gambling harms to access support and treatment in a way that best meets their needs.  

Each of the 10 Regional Boards across Great Britain can apply for up to £100,000 via one of the NGSN regional providers. This should be used to support the delivery of a collaborative project to reduce gambling harm.