Concern Over Statutory RET Levy: BMJ Warns of Industry Influence Risk

As the UK Gambling Commission prepares to issue the first invoices under the new statutory Research Education and Treatment (RET) levy this September, the British Medical Journal (BMJ) has voiced serious concerns about the structure of the scheme. The BMJ fears the system may fail to protect gambling-harm research from industry influence, potentially jeopardising the independence of a critical public health initiative. 

About the RET Levy

Introduced via the Gambling Levy Regulations 2025, the statutory RET levy became law on 6 April 2025. It replaces the previous voluntary model and mandates contributions of 0.1%–1.1% of operator revenue, depending on business type and revenue streams. Online operators face higher rates than land-based services. The first invoices will be issued 1 September, and payments must be made by 1 October via GovPay or bank transfer. Notably, levy compliance is obligatory for licence retention. 

BMJ Raises Red Flags

While the levy is expected to generate around £100 million annually, concerns have been raised regarding potential conflicts of interest:

The BMJ warns the current setup could undermine the independence of future research, despite its intent to separate funding from industry donations.
The  funding body (UKRI) has encouraged industry representatives to apply as co-leaders in steering gambling harms research raising red flags in some quarters about undue influence.
A related BMJ critique labelled research funded under this model “doomed to fail” without stronger safeguard mechanisms in place.

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27 August 2025

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