First NHS Gambling Treatment Service in Wales Launches

by James Gibson, 4 March 2026

First-of-its-kind NHS gambling treatment service soon launching in Wales

New gambling service launched by the NHS in Wales. © TomosArcher1980, Pixabay

Key Facts:

• The Wales Gambling Helpline is set to launch on 1 April
• The helpline will offer support and advice to those directly and indirectly affected by gambling
• It can also make referrals to those who need specialist treatment

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) was awarded £1.3 million a year from the Welsh Government to run the Wales Gambling Helpline. Launching on 1 April, it’s an NHS gambling treatment service.

The service will help those directly affected by gambling, as well as family members and others affected by a person’s gambling problems. It will offer advice, information and support, as well as referrals to treatment programmes when necessary.

Further Details About the Service

The funding for the service has come from the recently launched statutory levy, which is in place across the UK. The service, which operates entirely through the NHS, is the first of its kind to run in Wales.

The levy was formally introduced in April 2025. It raised around £120 million in its first calendar year, with the funds supporting various programmes to prevent and reduce gambling-related harms.

Anyone in Wales wanting to use the service can do so by visiting a secure website. This means people across the nation can access it, no matter where they are.

The service isn’t the first developed by the BCUHB. The organisation already runs a few national helplines, including CALL for mental health issues and DAN 24/7 for alcohol and drug problems.

Also launching in April is a grant scheme that focuses on preventing gambling problems. This is going to be led by Public Health Wales. NHS Wales Performance and Improvement are carrying out further work.

The organisation is focusing on increasing the way gambling problems are treated. As such, it’s working with health boards to determine if and how the social enterprise, voluntary and community sectors can be involved.

Comments and Expectations

Sarah Murphy, the Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, has said the following about the new service:

This is a landmark moment marking the first time specialist gambling treatment and support services will be available from the NHS in Wales. The helpline will be a form of open access support available to people who need it the most and fits into the ambitions of our Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy.– Sarah Murphy, Mental Health and Wellbeing Minister comments on gambling treatment service, Leader Live

She also mentioned that, after reviewing the evidence, she’s confident the service will be effective. It should be the best way to provide support for both preventing and treating gambling problems.

Someone else who’s spoken about the upcoming service is Dr Faye Graver, BCUHB’s clinical lead for gambling treatment services. Here’s what she’s said about the service:

We are establishing a specialist gambling treatment service and the Wales Gambling Helpline to provide much-needed support for people struggling with gambling addiction. They will provide the necessary support, advice and information not only to people experiencing gambling-related harms, but also their family members and others affected.– Dr Faye Graver, BCUHB clinical lead comments on gambling treatment service, Leader Live

Graver also mentioned that, according to research, tens of thousands of people in Wales stand to benefit from the service. It will support them from the referral stage through triage to aftercare.