Great Britain Gambling Survey Exposes Community Gaps - What This Means for Ireland

This data has come from the UKGC’s second annual Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB) and once again has delivered eye-opening statistics. The survey consisted of 19,714 people who contribute to gambling activity, taking a further look into how habits and risks differ depending on geographic location, financial circumstances and what their game preferences are. The survey has reignited the ongoing debate on whether gambling regulations within the UK are strict enough. The data shows that 48% of adults have engaged in some sort of gambling activity within the last month, whether that was placing a bet, playing a game or buying a Lottery ticket. If you exclude the Lottery from the survey, the number drops down to 28%, highlighting just how popular the Lottery is in the UK. When people were asked about their motivation, 85% said winning money and 72% participated in gambling because it was fun. This demonstrates that people in the UK view gambling as a fun form of entertainment rather than something to be concerned about.

The regional contrasts that emerged from this data offers interesting insight into where gambling is more likely to be a growing concern in the UK. The North West had the highest reports of weekly gambling with 14%, while the North East and Wales had the lowest rating with 5%. The overarching trend was that the most regular gamblers were the most economically disadvantaged. In deprived areas, 27% of people were gambling at least once a week whereas in the less deprived areas this figure dropped to 14%. The data raises the question about whether the current regulatory framework is doing enough to help those in more deprived areas.

What Does This Mean for Irish Players?

Few Irish-based gambling research has been conducted, so it is not as obvious to determine the impact gambling is having in Ireland. From a 2022 survey, it was found that fewer people were gambling than in 2014 but there had been an increase in problem gambling in deprived communities. Problem gambling reportedly affected the lives of 135,000 people in Ireland, with a large proportion of this number consisting of young men and people experiencing socioeconomic deprivation. These findings align with the data produced from the UKGC survey.

Despite the UKGC imposing stricter rules, like the stake limit for online and land-based slots, gambling revenue and gambling-related harm is still rising. The UK is not alone in this matter, with Ireland reporting that 1 in 30 people have a gambling problem and 3 in 4 people have spent money on gambling in the previous month. iGaming in Ireland and the UK works differently because they both operate under different licenses, but this doesn’t mean their goals of protecting user safety and wellbeing aren’t aligned. 

Following this data from the UKGC, it is likely that the UK will introduce stricter framework to reduce gambling harm but it will be interesting to see if Ireland follows suit. If you are currently experiencing gambling related issues, it is important to utilise the responsible gambling tools available, such as self-exclusion, deposit limits and reality checks. Alternatively, reach out to external organisations like GamblingCare or Gamblers Anonymous to get the right support for you.