The UK gambling regulatory body recently unveiled that problem gambling rates in the country remain low, at 0.2%. The cited rate is based on the watchdog’s latest survey held among 4,018 locals.
The latest survey of the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) was held on the phone, with the respondents being inquired about their gambling habits. In line with the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), the regulator asked three questions to the local people participating in the research, with the questions being linked to their gambling habits.
Respondents were asked to provide more details about their gambling in the last 12 months.
Based on the results of the research, the Commission concluded that only 0.2% of British gamblers are actually exposed to some negative consequences associated with gambling. The cited rate is 2 times lower than what the results from the study held in 2021 showed. Last year, the UKGC research showed that the problem gambling rate in the country at the time was 0.4%.
According to data provided by the UKGC, male gamblers are more likely to experience gambling-related harm. The survey demonstrated that 0.3% of the male gamblers are considered at risk of getting hooked on gambling, while the gambling addiction rate among female gamblers was only 0.1%.
Largest Number of Gambling Addicts Registered in the 16-24 Age Group
The latest UKGC survey showed that the problem gambling rate was the largest among younger players between 16 and 24 years of age – 0.8% – with the figure being higher than the one registered in 2021. The gambling addiction rates among players aged 25-34 and 35-44 were, respectively, 0.3% and 0.2%, while no individuals of the 600 bettors aged 55 to 64, who took part in the survey, were experiencing any signs of gambling-related harm.
The Gambling Commission reported that the most avid bettors were the ones between 45 and 54 years of age. Almost half of them (49.1%) confirmed they gambled within the last month at the time when the survey was held. In addition, 42.9% of all survey respondents had placed no less than one wager within the past four weeks.
More than one-quarter of all the respondents (25.8%) placed at least one bet online over the 4-week period, with the figure being once again higher among the group of gamblers aged between 45 and 54, with 33.2% of them having gambled online. Also, the UKGC revealed that 27.5% of the surveyed individuals had placed a bet with the National Lottery at least once during the past month, making it the most preferred type of gambling at the time.
When it comes to the National Lottery, the UK gambling regulatory body is still expected to hand the NL operating licence to Allwyn, its preferred gambling operator that would inherit the permit from its predecessor, Camelot. The incumbent National Lottery operator, however, was not happy with the UKGC’s decision and started legal action against the watchdog, backed by one of its most influential partners, IGT.
- Author
Olivia Cole
