First Gambling Survey for Great Britain Annual Report Published

The Gambling Commission has unveiled its first annual report from the new Gambling Survey for Great Britain, set to become one of the largest surveys of its kind globally. This comprehensive survey, conducted by the National Centre for Social Research and the University of Glasgow, initially features responses from 9,804 participants, with plans to increase this number to around 20,000 by next year.

The report offers detailed insights into gambling behaviours and attitudes across Britain. It highlights participation rates, types of gambling activities, motivations for gambling, and the impacts of gambling on individuals and their close associates.

The Commission has also issued guidelines on interpreting these new statistics, noting that comparisons with previous surveys may not be valid due to methodological differences, including the larger sample size. The Commission is committed to addressing any misuse of these official statistics.

Key Findings on Participation

The survey revealed that 48% of adults aged 18 and over had engaged in some form of gambling in the past four weeks. Excluding those who only participated in lottery draws, the participation rate was 27%. Male participants (52%) were more likely than female participants (44%) to have gambled in the past four weeks.

Gambling Experiences

Among adults who had gambled in the past 12 months, 41% rated their last gambling experience positively, 21% rated it negatively, and 37% had a neutral response. The primary reasons for gambling included the chance of winning big money (86%), for fun (70%), to make money (58%), and for excitement (55%).

Consequences of Gambling

The survey highlighted that male participants and those aged 18 to 34 were more likely to have higher Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) scores. Notably, participants who bet on non-sports events in person had a PGSI score of 8 or more, which was over nine times higher than the general gambling population. Similarly, those who gambled on online slots had a PGSI score of 8 or more, more than six times higher than other gamblers.

This extensive survey aims to set a new baseline for understanding gambling behaviour in Britain, offering valuable data to inform policies and interventions. The next report, expected to feature an expanded participant base, will continue to enhance the understanding of gambling impacts and trends.

Tim Miller, Executive Director of Research and Policy, said: “One of our aims as a regulator is to ensure we gather the best possible evidence on gambling – and today’s publication is the next significant step forward in our journey on creating a robust source of evidence for gambling in Great Britain.

“Data in this report represents the first year of a new baseline, against which future changes can be compared1 and as such will prove invaluable in deepening further our understanding of gambling across the country.”

Professor Patrick Sturgis, Professor of Quantitative Social Science at the London School of Economics, added: “The new design of the Gambling Survey for Great Britain will significantly enhance the evidence base on patterns and trends in gambling behaviour.

“With an annual sample size of 20,000 individual interviews across the nations and regions of Great Britain, the survey will provide researchers and policy makers with fine-grained and timely data across a broad range of key indicators.

“Using a push-to-web mixed mode design and random probability sampling from the Postcode Address File, the survey implements state-of-the-art methodology to a very high standard.”

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