The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has confirmed it will close the Advisory Board for Safer Gambling (ABSG), citing the completion of the board’s original remit.
Transition to New Structures
The ABSG was established to oversee the National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms and provide independent challenge to the regulator. With the strategy concluded and several key milestones achieved, the Commission said the board’s role has run its course.
In its announcement, the UKGC highlighted the ABSG’s most significant contributions, including:
- Elevating gambling harms as a public health issue
- Supporting the creation of the Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP) to bring lived experience into policymaking
- Backing the introduction of a statutory levy to fund research, education, and treatment (RET) independently of industry contributions
Looking ahead, the Commission said it will establish new expert arrangements better aligned with the next phase of research and regulation, including a research-focused advisory group to support the expanded RET framework.
Leadership Thanks and Reflections
Chief executive Andrew Rhodes praised the ABSG’s “incredible contributions in shaping how the UK perceives problem gambling,” thanking both current and former members for their work.
“As we move into a new phase with the implementation of research programmes funded by the statutory levy, our priority is to ensure we have the right expert input to help inform our work. This is the right time to close ABSG and establish new arrangements that reflect the future needs of our gambling regulation and research.”
— Andrew Rhodes, CEO, UKGC
Helen Child, the Commission’s head of governance, also expressed gratitude, describing the ABSG’s work as a “huge contribution to gambling regulation.”
Wider Sector Changes: GambleAware to Wind Down
The closure of the ABSG comes as Britain prepares for a broader shift in how gambling harm initiatives are funded. With the statutory levy set to replace voluntary contributions, the country’s leading problem gambling charity, GambleAware, will also be wound down.
The charity’s managed closure is expected to conclude by March 31, 2026. Its responsibilities will be transferred to public bodies, while the government appoints three new national commissioners to oversee RET initiatives.
