New survey data on gambling participation and public perceptions of gambling
Press release
Date: 28
January 2010
The Gambling Commission has today published
survey data on gambling participation and public perceptions of
gambling. The findings are based on questions in omnibus* surveys
conducted by ICM Research.
The Commission has collected and published
information on remote gambling participation for some time. In 2008
a new set of questions covering participation in all types of
gambling activity was added. Both these data sets complement
the British Gambling Prevalence Survey by providing more regular
information on gambling participation among the general
population.
Over the year to December 2009, 55.2% of the
adults surveyed said they had gambled in the past four weeks. Over
the same period 10.5% of respondents reported that they had
participated in at least one form of remote gambling.
As far as public perceptions on gambling
are concerned, this is the first time such data has been published
by the Commission. The questions measure how far people in this
country think, firstly gambling is fair and can be trusted, and
secondly gambling is associated with criminal activity. Figures
covering last year show that 49.6% of the adults surveyed agreed
that gambling in this country is conducted fairly and can be
trusted. This percentage was considerably higher among those who
gamble. Less than half of all respondents (41.3%) agreed that
gambling was associated with criminal activity.
You can see the data on the Omnibus survey page of the
Commission website.
Ends
Notes to editors
The Gambling Commission
- 1. The Gambling Commission (the 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 also provides independent
advice to government on gambling in Britain.
- 2. The Commission is responsible for licensing and regulating
all gambling in Great Britain other than the National Lottery and
spread betting, which are the responsibility of the National
Lottery Commission and the Financial Services Authority (FSA)
respectively.
- 3. *An omnibus survey is a syndicated multi client
survey which runs regularly among representative
samples. Clients share the setup costs of the survey and in
return can achieve large sample sizes at minimal cost.
- 4. In 2009 the Commission had three sets of questions in
omnibus surveys:
• participation in all gambling activities (sample size,
n = 7,029)
• participation in remote gambling (n = 8,053)
• public perceptions towards gambling (n = 4,047).
5. Survey data on participation in all gambling activities
will be published quarterly. Data on public perceptions of gambling
will be published annually.
Further information
- Further information is available from the Commission's website
at: www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk.
- You can also call John Travers on (0121) 230 6700, (07852)
124624 or email him via communications@gamblingcommission.gov.uk