Key Moments:
- The Gambling Commission reports that 48% of adults in Great Britain have engaged in gambling during the past month.
- The Problem Gambling Severity Index indicates 2.7% of adults are classified as problem gamblers, a rate statistically stable compared to 2023.
- From 31 October, new regulations require all gambling operators to prompt customers to set a financial limit prior to their first deposit.
Participation Trends Revealed
A recent survey by the Gambling Commission shows that nearly half (48%) of Great Britain’s adult population has gambled in the last four weeks. When excluding individuals who played only lotteries, the rate declines to 28%. Online gambling proves more prevalent than in-person betting, with 38% of adults playing online compared to 29% who gambled in person. This disparity is largely due to online lottery ticket sales. Removing lotteries from the equation, 18% reported gambling in person while 16% participated online.
| Activity | Participation Rate |
|---|---|
| National Lottery | 31% |
| Other Charity Lotteries | 16% |
| Scratchcards | 13% |
On average, those who gambled took part in 2.4 different types of activities over the last month.
Motivations Behind Gambling Activity
According to the survey, 42% of past-year gamblers viewed their most recent gambling experience positively, 37% responded neutrally, and 21% described it negatively. Among those who participated in non-lottery forms of gambling, 49% reported their most recent experience as positive.
The leading reasons identified were the “chance of winning big money” (85%) and finding gambling enjoyable (72%). Additional motivations included making money (57%) and seeking excitement (56%).
A separate study from the Commission examined black market gambling, indicating that participants are often drawn by “better odds and offers, wanting to play games that are unavailable in Great Britain, ability to use alternative payment methods (that is, not GBP), avoiding stake or spend limits, and lower barriers to entry such as minimal age or ID verification processes.”
Assessing Risks and Harms
The Commission applied the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) to gauge the level of gambling-related risk. Results show that 8.8% of adults fall in the low risk category (score 1–2), 3.1% are at moderate risk (score 3–7), and 2.7% are classified as problem gamblers (score 8 or more). The proportion of problem gamblers remains statistically unchanged from 2023.
Participants also reported a range of adverse outcomes. The most severe was “relationship breakdown due to own gambling” at 1.6%. Other concerns included reducing spending on daily essentials (6.7%), “lying to family” (6.0%), and “using spendings or borrowing money” (5.7%).
Rates of seeking help remain low. In the past year, only 3.4% of gamblers sought support, with nearly equal numbers turning to gambling services (1.2%), mental health providers (1.7%), and food banks or welfare organizations (1.7%).
Broader Impact on Communities
The survey also explored gambling’s effect on those close to gamblers. Almost half (47.9%) of respondents reported someone they know participates in gambling. Among these, 3.3% have sought help due to its impact on them.
Enhanced Regulatory Measures on the Horizon
Andrew Rhodes, Chief Executive of the Gambling Commission, emphasized the significance of the survey’s findings and called on the industry to take action. “This year’s findings deepen our understanding of consequences from gambling and provide crucial insight into risk profiles among those who gamble most frequently. We strongly encourage operators to use this evidence to consider the risks within their own customer bases.”
He also highlighted reforms already implemented: “We have already introduced light-touch financial vulnerability checks on those spending £150 a month, reduced the intensity of all online games by banning autoplay and slowing game speed, and tightened age verification in premises.”
Beginning 31 October, operators need to prompt each customer to set a financial limit before making their first deposit. Additionally, the Commission is piloting “enhanced frictionless financial risk assessments for those spending £1,000 within 24 hours or £2,000 within 90 days.”
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- Author
Daniel Williams
