The Gambling Commission has published the second annual report from the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB), currently the largest dedicated study in the world focusing on gambling habits, behaviors, and impacts. The survey, developed by the National Centre for Social Research in collaboration with the University of Glasgow, has undergone independent review and contributes to the Commission's broader research into gambling trends across the country.
Key Findings from the 2024 Report:
- Gambling Participation: Nearly half (48%) of adults aged 18 and over in Great Britain reported gambling in the past four weeks. However, this figure drops to 28% when those who only purchased lottery tickets are excluded.
- Gambler Sentiment: Among those who had gambled in the last 12 months, 42% described their most recent gambling experience positively, compared to 21% who viewed it negatively. The most common reasons given for gambling were the potential to win large sums of money (85%) and finding the activity enjoyable (72%).
- Problem Gambling: In 2024, 2.7% of adults scored 8 or more on the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), a figure consistent with results from 2023.
Additional research led by Professor Patrick Sturgis has provided further validation of the GSGB's methodology, reinforcing confidence in the reliability of the survey data.
Supplementary Reports
The GSGB's extensive sample size, nearly 20,000 respondents, has enabled the publication of two in-depth analyses:
- Weekly Gambling and Risk Profiles: This report examines risk levels among individuals who gamble weekly. It found that risk varies not only between different types of gambling activities but also within each category. The findings highlight the importance of operators understanding and managing risk within their customer base
- Understanding Gambling-Related Harm: This report explores the broader consequences of gambling, revealing that it can affect various aspects of a person's life, including their relationships and physical or mental health. These findings align with earlier qualitative research.
Related Research and Updates
This release is part of a wider body of research the Commission has published over the past year, which includes:
- Quarterly updates tracking gambling participation trends
- In-depth studies from the University of Glasgow on motivations for gambling and their relationship to specific gambling activities
- Research examining how gambling activity correlates with PGSI scores
- Insights into people's lived experiences of gambling-related harm
- A formal response to the Office for Statistics Regulation's review of the GSGB
- Experimental research investigating why different surveys report varying estimates of gambling behavior
Together, these reports form a comprehensive picture of gambling in Great Britain and will support efforts to inform evidence-based policy, consumer protections, and responsible gambling practices.
Andrew Rhodes, Chief Executive of the Gambling Commission, said:
"The Gambling Survey for Great Britain is a key building block of the evidence base which helps government, industry and other partners understand both gambling behavior and potential consequences from gambling.
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.
Data and research, such as GSGB, is essential to helping us identify where our regulatory focus should be and informs our ongoing work to implement player protection recommendations from the Gambling Act Review White Paper.
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.
We've also banned potentially harmful marketing offers involving consumers having to carry out two or more types of gambling, such as betting and playing slots, and limited the number of times bonus funds must be re-staked before a consumer can withdraw winnings.
From the end of this month [31 October] our new rules will give consumer controls over deposit limits and all gambling businesses must prompt their customers to set a financial limit before they make their first deposit.
In the land-based sector, we are also considering time and monetary limit setting functionality and safer gambling messaging on machines.
In addition, we have been piloting enhanced frictionless financial risk assessments for those spending £1,000 within 24 hours or £2,000 within 90 days. We are currently analyzing the data gathered during the pilot examining data-sharing between credit reference agencies and gambling businesses."
Source:
https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/news/article/2024-gambling-survey-for-great-britain-published
