Description
In April 2025, the UK government introduced a statutory levy on gambling operators to provide 'independent and sustainable funding for gambling-related harms research, prevention and treatment'.
A small portion of this funding has been allocated to the Gambling Commission so that it can procure research into gambling-related harms in line with its licensing objectives.
Consequently, the Commission wishes to undertake some early market engagement to help it determine how best it might structure an invitation to tender for the provision of research services that will enable it to accelerate the process by which it can fill the evidence gaps that have been identified within the Evidence Roadmaps that the Commission's Research and Statistics Team have developed.
About the Commission
The Gambling Commission is an executive non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport. The Commission is responsible for issuing personal gambling licences for individuals and gambling operating licences for businesses operating in Great Britain and we are responsible for ensuring all licensing applications meet the following objectives:
• preventing gambling from being a source of crime or disorder, being associated with crime or disorder or being used to support crime
• ensuring that gambling is conducted in a fair and open way
• protecting children and other vulnerable people from being harmed or exploited by gambling.
Also, as an evidence-based regulator, the Commission provides evidence-informed advice to the government about gambling behaviour in Great Britain.
About Research & Statistics
The Research and Statistics Team is responsible for the management and delivery the Commission's Research activity via a range of contracts procured in line with public sector procurement regulations, policy and practice.
Under these contracts, the Team work collaboratively with a number of research organisations to collect and analyse data to:
• monitor changes that may have an impact on the regulatory framework, and
• make sure the Commission is up to date with gambling industry statistics and gambling related research.
The purpose of which is to improve the evidence base underpinning regulation including research in line with our Evidence Gaps and Priorities.
The Requirement
The Commissions intends to use a portion of its Statutory Levy allocation to procure Research Services to help it accelerate the process by which it can fill the evidence gaps related to gambling harms that it has identified within the Evidence Roadmaps published in October 2025 (*).
These Roadmaps were designed to:
• set the direction of travel for future research to inform regulation
• give greater visibility of the Commission's priorities and progress
• highlight areas where the wider evidence ecosystem can contribute and add value.
Each roadmap covers a broad and diverse range of topics and issues and sits within one of the following 6 overarching evidence themes:
1. Early gambling experiences and gateway products
2. The range and variability of gambling experiences
3. Gambling-related harm and vulnerability
4. The impact of operator practices
5. Product characteristics and risk
6. Illegal gambling and crime
(*) Note: Further detail on specific roadmaps within each theme can be found on our website. https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/statistics-and-research/topichub/evidence-roadmaps
Approach
The Commission is currently considering the option to invite bids for a contract for the provision of Gambling Research Services. The purpose of the contract is stated above and possess the following features:
1. A methodology by which members of the Commission's Research and Statistics Team and the Research organisation can work collaboratively and in partnership to accelerate the filling of evidence gaps related to gambling harms against one or more of our evidence roadmaps.
2. a two-way transfer of knowledge, data and skills between the Commission and the appointed research team
3. the provision of in-depth research conducted with the highest level of rigour meaning at academic levels of governance, discipline and best practice.
4. regular communication and the provision of interim outputs.
We do not intend to be prescriptive about methodologies to be used, however we will encourage the use of innovative and collaborative approaches to tackle complex and under researched problems and generate learnings with direct applicability to regulation
The Commission believes this requirement presents a unique opportunity for interested organisations, including new entrants, to participate in the market, while also supporting potential growth and additional opportunities for organisations already operating within the gambling research field.
Decisions on exact scope, specification and route to market are to be confirmed and these decisions will be shaped by the responses to our Request for Information detailed below.