Gambling Survey for Great Britain GSGB

For that reason, it’s best to think of gambling as a form of entertainment and not a way to make money. If you gamble, find out how you can play more safely and protect yourself from harm. Over half the population in the UK takes part in some form of gambling activity. For others, gambling can harm their physical and mental health, relationships, performance at work or study, get them into trouble with the law and leave them in serious debt and possible homelessness. The research found that people see problem gambling as being a binary category that they do not fit into, with it often being others that need help.

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• Another study identified associations between gambling problems and intimate partner violence, but found that it may be influenced by other factors and not necessarily caused by the gambling.
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• Before you make your next wager, understand the facts behind this inherently risky past time.
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• The levy will be collected by the Gambling Commission and spending will be approved by the government.
• This can lead to food insecurity, housing problems and difficulties accessing healthcare and education.
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• They can take action against a gambling company if they think the company hasn’t followed the rules.
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By understanding players in more detail, we can understand which interventions are preferred by which types of players. Reward was the primary factor to gambling – enjoyment and fun were also drivers, but motivators can vary depending on the situation and activity. The first statutory gambling operator levy will replace the current voluntary levy which is not fit for purpose. As it stands not all betting companies pay their fair share and some have paid as little as £1. The NHS and many researchers do not take funds from the voluntary levy due to their concerns over the source of funding.

Other people affected by gambling

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German law enforcement raids suspected €5.8bn illegal online gambling ring

Responding effectively requires intergovernmental revolut slots uk cooperation to share data, protect consumers from unregulated practices and allow governments to capture lawful taxation revenue. Without effective protections, gambling may undermine progress toward the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly 3, 10 and 16. Gambling industry groups typically strongly oppose high-impact regulations and other measures that affect their commercial interests.

5 Stakeholders’ perspectives of gambling-related harms

Consequently, several data points have been revised, typically by between +/-0.1 percent and +/-1 percent. Participation in National Lottery draws significantly increased by 3 percentage points from the end of 2024, from 29 percent to 32 percent in Wave 1, 2025. Although this represents a significant change compared to the previous wave, the data for the same period in 2024 (January to April) remains consistent with findings from this publication. This begins to highlight both the wave-on-wave differences and the consistent seasonal patterns in gambling participation throughout the year.

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• The National Lottery is the most common type of gambling across all age groups, except among younger people where scratch cards are more common.
• Gambling can be addictive, always play responsibly and only bet what you can afford to lose.
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• Whether you bet on sports, scratch cards, roulette, poker, or slots—in a casino, at the track, or online—a gambling problem can strain your relationships, interfere with work, and lead to financial disaster.
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• It might not be enough to simply aim to “stop gambling.” You’ll want to find replacement activities to fill that time and energy void.
• If you gamble, demonstrate the importance of doing so responsibly and in moderation.
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Casinos with licenses from respected authorities like the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) are required to adhere to strict regulations and player protection measures. This ensures that players can trust the casinos to operate fairly and legally. Casino.com has become a trusted resource for comprehensive online casino information. This platform offers in-depth evaluations and comparisons of online casinos UK, helping users make informed choices when selecting where to play. The site provides a range of resources, including gaming guides and updated reviews, aimed at enhancing the user experience.

High stakes: gambling reform for the digital age

Most of the studies published on gambling and harm do not allow us to determine that gambling came before the harm. We intended to draw on previous reviews as well as primary studies, but we could not identify any reviews that focused on longitudinal studies. It’s possible that there are more longitudinal studies that we did not identify through this method. With the exception of commercial stakeholders, there was consensus across different types of stakeholders that gambling is a public health issue, and it requires a public health approach. The proportion of children and young people (11 to 16) who participate in any gambling is reducing, similar to the trend in reducing participation in other risky behaviours. But participation in gambling is higher than smoking or taking drugs in this group and is higher in older children and boys.

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Gambling can be addictive, so it’s important to pause and think before you bet. Never gamble more than you can comfortably afford to lose, and avoid chasing losses as this is where most players run into trouble. Their commitment to mobile gaming includes being one of a handful of pay by mobile casino operators, meaning punters can make deposits which are added on to their phone bill.

If you’re preoccupied with gambling, spending more and more time and money on it, chasing losses, or gambling despite serious consequences in your life, you have a gambling problem. If you sign up for therapy after clicking through from this site, HelpGuide will earn a commission. This helps us continue our nonprofit mission and continue to be there as a free mental health resource for everyone.

Who Regulates Gambling In The UK?

The firm has established several spin-off ventures and solutions that leverage its expertise in media, technology and IP, including  Incopro, Overmorrow, Curio, Kritic, Viewfinder, Wiggin Data Services and IR35 Manager. The outcome of the Commission’s consultation on changes to financial key event reporting – which closed in March 2024 – is pending. It should be noted that in April 2025 HM Treasury opened a consultation (which closed on 21 July 2025) on a proposal to introduce a single remote gambling duty that would apply to all remote gambling activities targeting the UK. There are no tender or bidding processes, other than in the occasional case of land-based casino franchises being proposed.

Timeline of Changes

Before you make your next wager, understand the facts behind this inherently risky past time. When we think about gambling, often places like casinos or racetracks come to mind, but gambling occurs in other places too, like gas stations, church halls, at sporting events and on the Internet. The Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.

What happens to your money if a gambling business goes bust?

The Gambling Survey for Great Britain will provide a robust source of evidence for decision making, and from 2024 will be the new source of official statistics on gambling behaviours in Great Britain. It is anticipated that the Voluntary Code, which aims to improve transparency, accountability and consumer protection, will be published by the end of 2025. Operators are expected to have in place measures to detect self-excluded persons who might wish to re-register using different details. Multi-operator self-exclusion schemes are in place to allow consumers to self-exclude from multiple gambling premises in Great Britain. Similarly, a centrally co-ordinated self-exclusion database (“GAMSTOP”) also allows customers to self-exclude from remote gambling offered by operators licensed by the Gambling Commission.

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• Poorer citizens conducted street gambling, and while this was illegal, enforcement was difficult to administer.
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• Commercial stakeholders believed the causes of harmful gambling are complex and could be due to co-morbidities or a tendency toward addiction.
• The online gambling participation rate (in the past 4 weeks) was 38 percent, which falls to 16 percent when lottery draw only players are removed.
• To date, the typical outcome has been the imposition of a financial penalty or a substantial financial settlement that the operator has negotiated with the regulator in lieu of a formal statutory penalty.
• If you gamble, find out how you can play more safely and protect yourself from harm.
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This information helps us better understand people’s attitudes and gambling behaviours up and down the country, creating a robust source of evidence for gambling in Great Britain. The Gambling Commission has a range of powers, including the ability under the Gambling Act 2005 to investigate and bring prosecutions against those that provide unlicensed gambling facilities to consumers in Britain. However, the Commission’s approach will typically depend on the nature of the product offering.

If you recognise any of these harms in your own behaviour, you should try to seek help. Often people don’t recognise that these are also a type of gambling and struggle to acknowledge that they have lost control. Gambling disorder can have a big impact on your personal and family life, your work and education, and the things you enjoy.

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Like other forms of addiction, compulsive gambling starts when you perform an activity that triggers a rush of pleasure in your brain, such as placing a bet on a football team’s success or an online casino game. However, as you build a tolerance to it, you need to gamble more and more to get the same level of enjoyment. Your gambling goes from a fun, harmless diversion to an unhealthy obsession with serious consequences. Whether you bet on sports, scratch cards, roulette, poker, or slots—in a casino, at the track, or online—a gambling problem can strain your relationships, interfere with work, and lead to financial disaster. You may even do things you never thought you would, like running up huge debts or even stealing money to gamble.

This fundamental principle underscores the need for responsible gambling practices. Players must acknowledge that online gambling involves some risk and should approach it with a healthy mindset. Online blackjack combines the classic card game with digital convenience, offering a variety of versions including single-deck and multi-deck games. This variety allows players to choose the version that best suits their playing style.

What are the top online casinos in the UK for 2026?

In late 2022, we re-examined this analysis and published an updated report in early 2023. You can find the full technical reports on the gambling-related harms evidence review main page. Schedule enjoyable recreational time for yourself that has nothing to do with gambling. If you’re gambling on your smartphone, find other ways to fill the quiet moments during your day. Depression, stress, substance abuse, or anxiety can both trigger gambling problems and be made worse by compulsive gambling. If you have bipolar disorder, manic phases might lead you to risky behavior, such as making big bets.

The UK Gambling Commission was born out of this law and continues to administer regulatory control to this day. The United Kingdom is an inclusive country when it comes to both brick-and-mortar and online gambling. Residents can access multiple domestic and offshore entities for casino gambling, poker and sports betting. The extent of gambling among children and young people (aged 11 to 16) is lower than drinking alcohol but higher than using e-cigarettes, smoking tobacco cigarettes, or taking illegal drugs.

Risk factors that influence gambling and harmful gambling

Other than that, different types of gambling activity conducted by the same media can be combined – for example, a “remote” gambling operating licence might well have betting, gaming and software operation endorsed upon it. Gambling can be addictive, always play responsibly and only bet what you can afford to lose. Gambling sites have a number of tools to assist you to stay in control, including deposit limits and time outs. If you think you have a problem, advice and support is available for you now from BeGambleAware or Gamcare. We aim to offer every online gambler and reader of The Independent a safe and fair platform through unbiased reviews and offers from the UK’s best online gambling companies. The safest way to enjoy gambling sites is to set limits, stay aware of your habits, and recognise when your play stops being fun.

• The safest way to enjoy gambling sites is to set limits, stay aware of your habits, and recognise when your play stops being fun.
• The review is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver positive change for gambling in Great Britain and for all people impacted by it.
• However, you can encourage them to seek help, support them in their efforts, and protect yourself.
• To address gaps in this evidence base PHE undertook a Delphi study on policies and interventions to reduce harmful gambling, which has been published in the Lancet.
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This review has estimated that 0.5% of the adult population has a problem with gambling, 3.8% are gambling at at-risk levels, and 7% are affected negatively by an others people’s gambling. We identified 45 possible risk factors within these 39 reviews, and three-quarters of these (33 factors) were individual (personal) level risk factors. The remaining related to families or other social influences (5 factors), community-level influences (4 factors) and societal influences (3 factors). The proportion reporting any gambling in the last 12 months was 36% in 2019, down slightly from 39% in 2018. Based on 2018 HSE data, we estimated that 0.5% of the population reached the threshold to be considered experiencing problem gambling, and this proportion has remained relatively consistent since 2012. We also estimated that 3.8% of the population are classified as gambling at elevated risks, differentiated into low risk and moderate risk gambling.

Although you can monitor them, it might be difficult, and perhaps even counterproductive, to try to completely control a teenager’s activities. However, you can limit the amount of screen time and social media access a younger child has or use parental controls to steer them away from gambling sites. Take any talk of suicide seriously, as studies show that people with gambling addiction are more likely to attempt suicide. A study from 2020 found that the risk of suicide is even higher when the person is struggling with an additional disorder, such as substance use. Think about how your life might improve if you were free from your gambling problem. And while gambling can trigger feelings of excitement and euphoria, it’s important to remember that all forms of gambling are inherently risky.

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The regulatory body was established in 2005 following the passing of the Gambling Act. The UKGC’s purpose is to regulate all commercial gambling enterprises in the UK in conjunction with the proper licensing authorities. The most severe impacts of problem gambling were felt most by immediate family members. Almost half (48%) of people who were affected by a spouse or partner’s gambling reported a severe negative impact. This was followed by people affected by the gambling of a parent (41%) and the gambling of a child (38%).

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Northern Gambling Service – The Northern Gambling Service is an NHS service that offers specialist support to people with a gambling disorder, covering the North West, North East, and Yorkshire & Humber regions. Some of the services in the next section can offer support to people who know someone with a gambling disorder, as can some voluntary and community organisations. Once the mental health condition is better managed, the gambling disorder can also improve. The aim of the introduction of financial vulnerability checks and our next steps on piloting financial risk assessments is to give people the opportunity to gamble safely, while protecting people from gambling-related harm. The Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB) collects our official statistics on gambling behaviour in Great Britain. The GSGB is one of the largest survey about people’s gambling behaviours in the world, collecting data from 20,000 respondents each year.

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This suggests that gambling may trigger suicidal events in some people already prone to suicidal ideation. The link between gambling and suicide and self-harm was supported by qualitative studies. One study reported that people engaging in moderate-risk or problem gambling experienced lower levels of family functioning and social support compared to people engaging in low-risk gambling or non-gamblers. Another study identified associations between gambling problems and intimate partner violence, but found that it may be influenced by other factors and not necessarily caused by the gambling. The white paper will support the ‘land-based’ gambling sector including casinos, arcades and bingo halls, while maintaining safeguards to protect vulnerable groups. Bingo halls, seaside arcades and casinos create employment, generate tourism and provide entertainment.

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• The evidence review was underpinned by adapting an existing framework which classifies gambling-related harms by type.
• In 2018, 24.5 million people in England gambled (54% of the adult population, or 40% when you exclude the National Lottery).
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• Once the mental health condition is better managed, the gambling disorder can also improve.
• Too much time spent on gambling can also lead to relationship and legal problems, job loss, mental health problems including depression and anxiety, and even suicide.
• Gambling industry groups typically strongly oppose high-impact regulations and other measures that affect their commercial interests.
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There may also be a relationship between these other harmful activities and gambling. Compared with children who have not gambled, those who have spent their own money on gambling are more likely to have consumed alcohol, taken drugs, or smoked either a tobacco cigarette or an e-cigarette. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for gambling addiction focuses on changing unhealthy gambling behaviors and thoughts, such as rationalizations and false beliefs. It can also teach you how to fight gambling urges and solve financial, work, and relationship problems caused by problem gambling. Therapy can provide you with the tools for coping with your addiction that will last a lifetime. A report published in International Gambling Studies has shown that popular motives for why people gamble include mood change and the dream of achieving a jackpot win.

To determine whether these factors could be considered risk factors for gambling or harmful gambling, we considered number, quality and appropriateness of studies as well as consistency of results to develop confidence ratings. Only one high quality review on early risk and protective factors for problem gambling examined harmful gambling among children and young people. When it comes to online gambling, some sites have self-exclusion options, which essentially allow you to ban yourself from gaming activities. Alternately, remove gambling apps and block gambling sites on your phone and computer. Delete any auto-fill information (such as your credit card number) from your browser, so it’s harder to make impulsive financial decisions. For instance, young men between the ages of 18 and 29 tend to gravitate to compulsive gambling habits.

This means they might experience some level of negative consequences due to their gambling. To answer question 1, we conducted a quantitative analysis to examine the prevalence of gambling and related harms in England using data from the annual Health Survey for England (HSE) and a number of other gambling data sources. Avoid gambling in front of your child or saying things that might encourage making reckless bets. If you gamble, demonstrate the importance of doing so responsibly and in moderation. These are aimed at those with severe gambling addiction who are unable to avoid gambling without round-the-clock support.

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• Explanatory Notes were introduced in 1999 and accompany all Public Acts except Appropriation, Consolidated Fund, Finance and Consolidation Acts.
• A key part of the program is finding a sponsor, a former gambler who has experience remaining free from addiction and can provide you invaluable guidance and support.
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• This release contains data and consumer views on why people gamble – their motivations for gambling, how and where they gamble, and how they want operators to interact with them.
• If you don’t have enough money to live on, check if you can get help to pay for living costs.
• There is also a need for research that looks beyond personal factors and explores the impact of broader structural and environmental factors that can be modified.
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• All surveys have strengths and limitations and we have outlined the strengths and limitations of our approach in the data analysis and reporting section of the technical report .

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If gambling ceases to be enjoyable, it’s crucial for players to stop immediately and seek help if needed. Responsible gambling is a cornerstone of the UK online casino industry, with the UK Gambling Commission actively working to protect players from gambling-related harm. Licensed casinos are required to implement measures such as age verification and self-exclusion options to ensure player safety.

Mental disorders, such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and substance use disorders, often occur alongside gambling addiction. Some research also links pathological gambling to personality disorders, including antisocial, borderline, and narcissistic personality disorders. Aside from personality disorders, specific personality traits—especially impulsivity—can be risk factors for pathological gambling.

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• For others, gambling can harm their physical and mental health, relationships, performance at work or study, get them into trouble with the law and leave them in serious debt and possible homelessness.
• Without effective protections, gambling may undermine progress toward the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly 3, 10 and 16.

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No one under the age of 18 is allowed to place a bet with a licenced operator. Betting – Betting in the UK comes in the forms of fixed odds betting, pool betting, acting as a betting intermediary and spread betting. Each sector can be broken down into terms of what each represents, the brick-and-mortar options therein, legal gambling ages, etc. Generally, the minimum gambling age in England is 18, however, the minimum age to purchase a National Lottery ticket is sixteen. To enter and gamble at a casino or horse racetrack participants must be at least eighteen. It is also possible for smaller lotteries to be held without a licence, but these still require registration with the local authority in place.

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Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014 – The Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014 was passed to curtail licensing loopholes being taken advantage of by offshore operators. Before this act, remote operators were only required to obtain an English licence if they had at least one piece of remote gambling equipment located within UK borders. Any remote gambling operators that kept all their equipment, facilities, etc. offshore were exempt from applying for a licence. One of the most important aspects of the legislation is that it clarified certain definitions to keep up with modern technology. The effects of this helped keep casinos and other gambling operators in check with new technologies.

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Those seeking to better control or cease gambling should be provided with tools to support them. These include universal pre-commitment (requiring people to set binding limits of time and money spent gambling) and self-exclusion (allowing people to ban themselves from gambling providers). Prevention is the most cost-effective strategy for minimizing gambling-related harm. Treatment for gambling disorder has a low rate of uptake, with an estimated 0.14% of the population seeking formal and informal help for current problems.

These include financial stress, relationship breakdown, family violence, mental illness and suicide. The legacy of gambling harm can endure throughout one’s life and transmit intergenerationally. These include ending advertising and promotions, providing centralized account registration to require those who gamble to set binding loss limits, and restrictions relating to access and availability (opening hours, density). Strict regulation and enforcement are also required to ensure compliance with existing laws. Magic Red Casino, for example, boasts an impressive payout percentage of 97.83%, indicating favorable odds for players. Online slots generally offer better RTP percentages compared to physical slot machines, thanks to lower operational costs.

This should include reducing stigma and shame related to gambling, ending advertising and promotion, and a focus on other upstream efforts to prevent and reduce gambling harm. In countries where gambling has been legalized, governments typically receive substantial taxation revenues. Perceived economic benefits of gambling markets may have precedence over poorly understood effects on health and well-being. Signs of harm include the diversion of money from essential household spending.

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The British regulator continues its series of enforcement actions against its licensees, as described above, including follow-ups from previous enforcement actions. The usual pattern of regulatory enforcement is for the regulator to instigate a review of the operating licence in question, with the consequences described above. To date, the typical outcome has been the imposition of a financial penalty or a substantial financial settlement that the operator has negotiated with the regulator in lieu of a formal statutory penalty. The regulator also makes use of the system of personal management licences to act against individuals and there have been licence suspensions in cases where the regulator considered the operator to be substantially non-compliant. As in many jurisdictions, the main monopoly incumbent is the National Lottery, which has a monopoly on commercial lottery activity. On 1 February 2024, the Gambling Commission granted Allwyn Entertainment Ltd a 10-year licence to operate the National Lottery, replacing the previous licensee Camelot.

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