Land based self exclusions
Request
I'm trying to find out how many people in total are self-excluded from gambling in the UK (Land-Based) To begin to answer this question, I need to know how many people (in total) are self-excluded from each type of land-based gambling venue; arcades, bookies, casinos, bingo halls, etc.
Response
Thank you for your request which has been processed under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).
In your email you have requested how many people in total are self-excluded from gambling in the UK (Land-Based), how many people (in total) are self-excluded from each type of land-based gambling venue; arcades, bookies, casinos, bingo halls, etc.
The following table shows the number of self exclusions reported to the Gambling Commission for land based sectors for the previous three financial years (FY).
| Sector | FY21 | FY22 | FY23 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult Gaming Centre | 3,158 | 5,813 | 7,795 |
| Betting | 17,444 | 18,936 | 24,513 |
| Bingo | 2,474 | 3,735 | 4,944 |
| Casino | 2,998 | 3,144 | 3,738 |
| Family Entertainment Centre | 26 | 53 | 47 |
When reviewing this information, the following factors should be taken into consideration:
Self-exclusion data is provided to us by gambling operators via their Regulatory Returns. Operators are required to provide information regarding the total number of self-exclusions made during the regulatory return reporting period.
Some operators are part of a larger parent company and may submit self-exclusion figures for the whole parent company on their return, however we are unable to determine whether the figures reported are for the individual operator or for the parent company as a whole.
Furthermore, where a single individual self-excludes from multiple operators they will be counted as an individual self-exclusion for each operator, therefore this data cannot be used to assimilate the total number of self-excluded individuals.
We are unable to provide the number of distinct individuals who wanted to Self-Exclude from gambling organisations, due to the way in which operators submit this information to the Commission.
Review of the decision
If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your Freedom of Information request you are entitled to an internal review of our decision. You should write to FOI Team, Gambling Commission, 4th floor, Victoria Square House, Victoria Square, Birmingham, B2 4BP or by reply to this email.
Please note, internal review requests should be made within 40 working days of the initial response. Requests made outside this timeframe will not be processed.
If you are not content with the outcome of our review, you may then apply directly to the Information Commissioner (ICO) for a decision. Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have already exhausted the review procedure provided by the Gambling Commission.
It should be noted that if you wish to raise a complaint with the ICO about the Commission’s handling of your request for information, then you are required to do so within six weeks of receiving your final response or last substantive contact with us.
The ICO can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office (opens in a new tab), Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.
Information Management Team
Gambling Commission