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The UK's Gambling Commission has unveiled the findings of its first large-scale survey that it says will offer important insights into gambling behaviours, experiences, and consequences that can shape future policy.

The Gambling Survey for Great Britain highlighted some concerning trends, with male participants and those aged 18 to 34 seeing higher Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) scores compared to other groups.

Specifically, the proportion of participants with a PGSI score of 8 or more was over nine times higher for those who bet on non-sports events in person compared to the general gambling population.

Additionally, participants who gambled on online slots had a PGSI score of 8 or more at over six times the rate of all gamblers in the past 12 months.

The survey, conducted by the National Centre for Social Research and the University of Glasgow, is set to become one of the largest of its kind globally and will help the Commission overcome regulatory challenges and formulate policy.

The initial report features responses from 9,804 individuals, with plans to expand the sample size to approximately 20,000 participants by next year. This significant increase aims to provide a more detailed and accurate picture of gambling behaviours across the nation.

Published on July 25, 2024, the survey marks a significant step in understanding the country's gambling landscape.

The survey revealed that 48% of adults aged 18 and over engaged in some form of gambling in the past four weeks.

Excluding those who only participated in lottery draws, the participation rate stood at 27%. A notable gender disparity emerged, with 52% of men participating in gambling compared to 44% of women.

"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 policymakers with fine-grained and timely data across a broad range of key indicators," says Professor Patrick Sturgis, Professor of Quantitative Social Science at the London School of Economics.

When participants were asked to rate their feelings towards gambling, 41% of those who gambled in the past 12 months rated their last experience positively, 21% negatively, and 37% neutrally.

The survey delved into the motivations behind gambling, revealing that the chance of winning big money was the most common reason (86%), followed by gambling being fun (70%), the desire to make money (58%), and the excitement it brings (55%).

The survey employs a push-to-web mixed mode design and random probability sampling from the Postcode Address File, ensuring high standards in data collection and accuracy.

Tim Miller, Executive Director of Research and Policy at the Gambling Commission, highlighted the importance of this initiative: "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."