GamCare expands free gambling treatment in Scotland’s remote communities

GamCare is expanding access to free gambling treatment across Scotland’s Highlands and Islands as part of a three-year programme designed to make specialist support more accessible to people living in remote communities. The initiative includes areas such as Shetland and Orkney and will provide treatment through online and telephone sessions delivered by trained practitioners.

The programme is supported by Scottish Government funding and is expected to run through March 2029. The expansion is intended to strengthen access to gambling harm services in locations where geography and distance can make it more difficult for people to reach specialist support in person.

GamCare extends support across remote communities

The expansion represents a further development of GamCare’s Scotland service, which provides free and confidential treatment for people affected by gambling harms. The charity currently offers support through telephone, virtual and face-to-face appointments, with its Scotland service covering the Mainland Highlands, Western Isles, Skye, Shetland and Orkney Islands.

For people living in remote or island communities, the availability of remote treatment can be particularly significant. Online and telephone appointments can reduce the need to travel long distances while giving individuals a way to access trained practitioners in a setting that may feel more convenient or private.

GamCare also operates the National Gambling Helpline, providing free support around the clock. The service can be accessed by telephone, online chat and WhatsApp and can help people understand their options before they move into more structured treatment.

The charity's current Scotland service also provides access to money guidance for people who have experienced gambling-related financial difficulties. This broader approach recognises that gambling-related problems can involve more than gambling behaviour itself and may affect household finances, relationships and wider wellbeing.

Three-year programme backed by Scottish Government funding

The new programme is being supported through Scotland’s share of funding from the UK-wide statutory Gambling Levy. The levy came into force in April 2025 and replaced the previous voluntary system of industry contributions with a statutory framework for funding research, prevention and treatment related to gambling harms.

The Scottish Government announced in March 2026 that £7.9 million from Scotland’s share of the statutory levy would support prevention, early intervention and treatment services. The funding is being distributed across organisations working with the NHS, local authorities and the third sector.

The statutory levy has a wider structure across Great Britain. Government arrangements allocate 20% of funding to research, 30% to prevention and 50% to treatment and support services. In Scotland and Wales, the devolved governments have responsibility for relevant prevention and treatment spending within their areas.

This framework provides a more structured basis for long-term investment in gambling harm services. For organisations delivering support at community level, multi-year funding can also provide greater continuity for service planning and outreach.

Online and telephone treatment can improve accessibility

A central feature of the expanded service will be the delivery of treatment through online and telephone sessions. These formats can be particularly useful in areas where specialist services are geographically dispersed.

GamCare provides a range of therapeutic support options, including one-to-one treatment delivered face to face, online or by telephone. Its services can also include structured online treatment supported by regular contact with a therapist.

The approach can help remove some practical barriers that may otherwise discourage people from seeking assistance. Travel requirements, limited local services and concerns about being recognised when attending a local facility can all influence whether someone decides to seek help.

Remote treatment does not eliminate every barrier. Access to reliable internet services, suitable private spaces and confidence with digital communication can also affect a person's ability to use online support. The availability of telephone treatment therefore provides an important alternative for people who may not be able or willing to use digital services.

The National Gambling Helpline remains another route into support. GamCare says the helpline is free and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with advisers able to provide information, advice and support and make referrals where appropriate.

Treatment uses evidence-based approaches

GamCare’s treatment services include therapeutic approaches designed to help individuals understand gambling behaviour and develop strategies for managing it. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, commonly known as CBT, is one approach used in gambling-related treatment.

CBT can help individuals examine connections between thoughts, emotions and behaviours. In the context of gambling-related harm, treatment may focus on identifying patterns that contribute to continued gambling and developing alternative ways of responding to triggers and difficult situations.

The precise form and duration of support can depend on an individual assessment. This is important because gambling-related difficulties can vary considerably between people and may involve financial pressure, emotional distress, relationship difficulties or other circumstances.

GamCare’s Scotland service states that an assessment of a person's needs is used to identify the appropriate support package. This allows treatment to be tailored rather than assuming that every individual requires the same form of intervention.

Research highlights the importance of accessible support

The expansion comes amid wider efforts to understand the scale and nature of gambling-related harm in Scotland and across Great Britain.

GamCare has commissioned YouGov research involving more than 3,700 UK adults in 2026. The research explored gambling behaviour and potential vulnerability around major sporting events, with findings indicating that some younger adults who have previously bet on major tournaments may find it difficult to avoid gambling during such events.

The broader research context is relevant to the development of support services because gambling behaviour can take different forms and may increasingly occur through digital channels. GamCare reported in June 2026 that 82% of people contacting its National Gambling Helpline who disclosed a form of gambling had cited online gambling specifically.

These figures do not mean that every online gambler experiences harm. They do, however, underline the importance of ensuring that support can be accessed through channels that reflect how gambling is increasingly conducted.

For communities in Scotland’s remote areas, digital treatment can therefore form part of a wider strategy to make specialist assistance available without requiring people to travel to larger population centres.

Local outreach remains an important part of the programme

Remote treatment is only one element of effective support. Local awareness and engagement can also play an important role in helping people recognise where assistance is available.

Lorraine Hannah, Outreach and Engagement Practitioner at GamCare, welcomed the expansion and highlighted the potential benefit for communities that may have had limited awareness of dedicated gambling harm services.

“It is very encouraging to bring GamCare’s support into these communities, many of which may not have known there are dedicated gambling harms services available if they are struggling,” Hannah added.

The statement focuses on awareness and access rather than making assumptions about the experiences of people living in specific communities. That distinction is important when discussing gambling-related harm, as individual circumstances differ and responsible reporting should avoid presenting broad conclusions about particular locations or groups.

Outreach can nevertheless help connect communities with existing services. It can also help professionals and community organisations understand how to direct people towards appropriate support.

Scotland takes a broader public health approach

The Scottish Government has increasingly framed gambling harm within a wider public health context. Its March 2026 funding announcement said the £7.9 million allocation would support prevention, early intervention and treatment as part of Scotland’s Population Health Framework.

A further announcement in July 2026 made £375,000 available for projects and research connected with gambling harms and mental health, including suicide prevention. That funding forms part of the wider allocation from the statutory Gambling Levy.

The policy direction reflects a move towards integrating gambling harm support with broader health and community services. Rather than treating gambling solely as a consumer or regulatory issue, the public health approach considers how gambling-related difficulties can affect individuals, families and communities.

The role of third-sector organisations is significant within this structure. Organisations such as GamCare can provide specialist knowledge and direct support while working alongside statutory services and other community-based organisations.

What the expansion means for people in the Highlands and Islands

For residents of the Highlands and Islands, the practical importance of the programme is likely to be its ability to provide another route into specialist support without requiring routine travel to major urban centres.

GamCare’s existing Scotland service lists Mainland Highlands, Western Isles, Skye, Shetland and Orkney among its locations. The service provides appointments by telephone, virtually or face to face depending on location.

The programme also reinforces the principle that access to treatment should not depend solely on geographical proximity to a specialist centre. Remote delivery can allow services to operate across wider areas while maintaining contact between individuals and trained practitioners.

For people concerned about their own gambling or the gambling of someone close to them, support can begin with a confidential conversation. GamCare also provides services for people affected by another person's gambling, recognising that gambling-related harm can extend beyond the individual who gambles.

A longer-term role for funded gambling support

The three-year period through March 2029 gives GamCare an opportunity to develop awareness and treatment access across communities that can face distinctive geographical challenges. It also places the programme within a wider transition in how gambling harm services are funded and commissioned in Great Britain.

The statutory levy provides a more formal funding mechanism for gambling-related research, prevention and treatment. For Scotland, the devolved government's role means that funding decisions can be connected to local public health priorities and the needs of communities across the country.

The effectiveness of the expansion will ultimately depend on whether people who need support can find it, understand how to access it and receive treatment that is appropriate to their circumstances. Continued evaluation and engagement with communities will therefore remain important as the programme develops.

Conclusion

GamCare’s expansion across Scotland’s Highlands and Islands adds an important layer to the country’s developing network of gambling harm services. By combining online and telephone treatment with local engagement, the programme seeks to address one of the practical challenges associated with delivering specialist support across geographically dispersed communities.

The initiative also reflects a broader change in the UK’s approach to gambling harm funding following the introduction of the statutory Gambling Levy. With Scotland receiving dedicated funding for prevention and treatment, organisations working at community level have greater scope to extend services beyond traditional population centres.

For residents of Shetland, Orkney, the Highlands and other remote parts of Scotland, the significance of the programme is ultimately straightforward: specialist help can be accessed without geographical distance necessarily becoming an insurmountable barrier. The availability of confidential treatment, telephone assistance and online support gives individuals more than one way to seek help.

As the programme continues through March 2029, its longer-term value will be measured not only by the number of appointments delivered but also by how effectively it connects people with appropriate support at the point when they are ready to seek it. That combination of accessibility, continuity and evidence-based treatment will be central to the continuing development of gambling harm support in Scotland.

FAQs

What is GamCare?
GamCare is a UK charity that provides information, advice and treatment for people affected by gambling-related harm. It also operates the National Gambling Helpline.

What is GamCare doing in Scotland?
GamCare is expanding free gambling treatment across Scotland’s Highlands and Islands, including remote and island communities such as Shetland and Orkney.

How long will the new Scotland programme run?
The programme is supported by Scottish Government funding for three years and is expected to continue through March 2029.

Is GamCare treatment free?
Yes. GamCare’s Scotland service provides free and confidential support and treatment for people affected by gambling-related harm.

Can people in the Highlands access GamCare remotely?
Yes. GamCare provides appointments by telephone and virtually as well as face to face where available. This gives people in remote areas additional ways to access support.

Does GamCare provide support in Shetland and Orkney?
GamCare’s Scotland service lists Shetland and Orkney among the areas covered by its regional service.

What is the National Gambling Helpline?
The National Gambling Helpline is a free support service operated by GamCare. It is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week through telephone and online channels.

What type of treatment does GamCare provide?
GamCare offers therapeutic support that can include one-to-one treatment delivered online, by telephone or face to face. Its treatment services can use approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

Does GamCare help people affected by someone else’s gambling?
Yes. GamCare provides support for people affected by another person's gambling, including family members and others who may be experiencing related difficulties.

Why is the statutory Gambling Levy important?
The statutory Gambling Levy provides a formal funding mechanism for gambling-related research, prevention and treatment across Great Britain. Scotland receives funding through this system to support services addressing gambling-related harm.