The Gambling Commission publishes statistics on participation in remote gambling
Press release
Date: 24 October
2007
The Gambling Commission today publishes the latest figures from
a quarterly statistical series that provides a snapshot of
participation by adults in remote gambling, including online
gambling, in Britain.
The improved measure, published for the first time in February
2007, allows the Commission to distinguish between the full range
of remote gambling methods, personal computer, mobile phone and
interactive TV. It also allows for the measurement of the
participation in the full range of gambling activities available
through these remote methods, access to which have all increased in
recent years.
The document titled ‘Survey Data on Remote Gambling
Participation’ is available on the Gambling Commission's
website.
Key findings include:
- Over the four quarters to September 2007 (i.e. an average of
figures for December 2006, March 2007, June 2007 and September
2007), 8.7% per cent of the 8,000 adults surveyed said they had
participated in at least one form of remote gambling (through a
computer, mobile phone or interactive/digital TV) in the previous
month. This compares with the 2006 calendar year figure of
7.4%. The remaining 91.3% of respondents said they had not
participated in any form of remote gambling.
- Those participating in remote gambling remain more likely to be
male than female, and are more likely to be aged 18 - 34.
- If those only playing the National Lottery remotely are
excluded, 5.5% of respondents had participated in remote gambling.
Overall, 6.2% of respondents said they had gambled remotely on the
National Lottery in the previous month (either only or in addition
to other types of gambling activity).
- Remote gambling via a computer, laptop or handheld device was
most popular (6.7% of all adult respondents), followed by gambling
via mobile phone (2.7%) and interactive/digital TV (under 2%).
Notes to editors
The survey
The figures provided in this series cover all forms of remote
gambling. Each wave of the survey is conducted once a quarter and
the survey was first published in February 2007. This is the fourth
issue of the data and covers the period between October 2006 and
September 2007.
Those surveyed are asked whether they have gambled via the
Internet through a PC, laptop or handheld device; via WAP/Internet
text (SMS) on a mobile phone; and/or via interactive/digital TV.
Those who do gamble are also asked to specify the type of gambling
activities undertaken (for example the National Lottery, betting
and casino type games).
The full results are available on the Gambling Commission's
website.
ICM Research interviewed a random sample of 2000 adults aged 18+
by telephone in each survey wave. Interviews were conducted
across the country and the results have been weighted to the
profile of all adults. ICM is a member of the British Polling
Council and abides by its rules. Further information is
available at www.icmresearch.co.uk.
Survey results are being shown as an average of the figures for
the previous four quarters. This first report thus contained an
average of data for the four quarters in 2006 (March, June,
September and December 2006). This report includes an average of
the four quarters to September 2007.
The results are representative in terms of age, gender, social
classification and region. The overall sample size is relatively
robust, especially when measured on a regular basis over time.
The Gambling Commission
The Gambling Commission regulates gambling in the public
interest. It does so by keeping crime out of gambling, by ensuring
that gambling is conducted fairly and openly, and by protecting
children and vulnerable people from being harmed or exploited by
gambling.
The Commission regulates all gambling other than the National
Lottery and spread betting, which are, respectively, the
responsibility of the National Lottery Commission and the Financial
Services Authority.
As of 1 September 2007 British-based operators who wish to
provide gambling must have a Gambling Commission licence. Licensed
operators who fail to observe the Commission’s licence conditions
will be at risk of unlimited fines, prosecution and the removal of
their licence.
In September 2007 the Commission published the
British Gambling Prevalence Survey 2007, a large-scale
nationally representative survey of the nature and scale gambling
in Britain.
Further information
For further information please contact: John Travers or Mark
Lepkowski on 0121 230 6700, or email communications@gamblingcommission.gov.uk.
Out of hours: 07950 572145 or 07852 124624