The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) recently released data from its Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB), with plans to publish its first annual report on July 25. The announcement was made amidst industry optimism following the election of the new Labour government.
The data, collected through a survey conducted by NatCen from November to February, involved 5,003 participants aged 18 and above. According to Helen Bryce, the Head of Statistics at UKGC, the survey revealed that most people gamble for fun or for the chance to win money.
Key findings from the survey showed that there was no significant change in betting patterns compared to the previous survey conducted from July to November the previous year. Lotteries remained the most popular form of gambling in the UK, with 21% of respondents participating in National Lottery draws and 15% in charity lottery draws. Scratchcards were the next favorite gambling activity at 13%.
The survey also highlighted that while online gambling participation was at 36%, when excluding lottery draw-only players, the online total decreased to just 14%. This emphasized the significant number of online gamblers who only participated in lottery draws.
Additionally, data collected over 12 months asked participants to rate their last gambling experience. The results showed that 41% had a positive experience, 22% had a negative experience, and 37% had mixed feelings about their last gambling encounter.
The upcoming GSGB annual report will consist of data from two-part surveys, with future reports planned to include four-part data surveys. Bryce mentioned that the additional data streams would allow for a more detailed analysis of responses across different population subgroups.
The release of the survey data coincided with positive developments in the UK gambling industry following the election of Keir Starmer’s Labour government. The appointment of Lisa Nandy as the First Secretary for Culture, Media, and Sport was seen as a positive step towards establishing and legalizing new regulations for the industry.
Michael Dugher, Chairman of the UK gambling industry body, the Betting and Gaming Council, praised Nandy’s appointment, describing her as a powerful advocate for working people and their culture. He emphasized the importance of Nandy’s role in supporting the 110,000 people whose jobs depend on regulated betting activities across various sectors.
Overall, the release of the survey data and the appointment of Lisa Nandy signaled positive changes for the UK gambling industry under the new Labour government, with expectations of a more supportive and regulated environment for the industry.