Perceptions
The Gambling Commission also track public perceptions of gambling, using questions in the telephone survey.
Trust
Figure 6 shows the percentage of respondents who agreed, either strongly or slightly, with the statement that gambling in this country is conducted fairly and can be trusted.
Overall, in year to December 2022, 30 percent of respondents agreed with the statement that gambling in this country is conducted fairly and can be trusted, which is statistically stable compared to the previous year. The level of agreement has remained statistically stable for both gamblers and non-gamblers.
Figure 6: Respondents agreeing that gambling in this country is conducted fairly and can be trusted†
Data from chart
| Respondents | Year to Dec 2018 (percent) | Year to Dec 2019 (percent) | Year to Dec 2020 (percent) | Year to Dec 2021 (percent) | Year to Dec 2022 (percent) | Significant 2021 to 2022† |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All respondents | 29.9% | 29.0% | 28.8% | 30.1% | 29.5% | No |
| Gambled in past 12 months | 33.6% | 32.0% | 31.9% | 36.2% | 35.5% | No |
| Not gambled in past 12 months | 24.6% | 24.5% | 24.9% | 23.8% | 22.5% | No |
† Statistically significant change from Year to December 2021 at the 95 percent level.
Attitudes
Respondents were also asked further questions about their attitudes and opinions towards gambling in Great Britain using a series of positive and negative statements originating from a shortened version of the Attitudes Towards Gambling Scale (ATGS-8).
Figure 7: Respondents agreeing with attitude statements
Data from chart
| Attitude statement | Year to Dec 2018 (percent) | Year to Dec 2019 (percent) | Year to Dec 2020 (percent) | Year to Dec 2021 (percent) | Year to Dec 2022 (percent) | Significant 2021 to 2022 †† |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| There are too many opportunities for gambling nowadays | 79.4% | 82.3% | 83.0% | 81.8% | 78.9% | Yes |
| Gambling is dangerous for family life | 70.8% | 72.6% | 74.5% | 69.9% | 71.1% | No |
| People should have the right to gamble whenever they want | 62.1% | 60.2% | 59.8% | 59.4% | 62.3% | No |
| Gambling should be discouraged | 57.6% | 61.8% | 63.4% | 58.9% | 61.8% | No |
| Most people who gamble do so sensibly | 36.2% | 35.5% | 35.9% | 40.2% | 36.8% | No | It would be better if gambling was banned altogether | 25.4% | 28.6% | 30.5% | 27.6% | 28.1% | No |
| Gambling livens up life | 28.0% | 25.8% | 27.5% | 30.0% | 27.4% | No |
| On balance, gambling is good for society | 13.1% | 12.5% | 15.6% | 14.5% | 12.1% | No |
†† Statistically significant change from Year to December 2021 at the 95 percent level.
In year to December 2022, 79 percent of respondents agreed that there are too many opportunities for gambling, a significant decrease on the previous year. 71 percent agreed that gambling is dangerous, while 62 percent thought gambling should be discouraged, yet 63 percent believed that people should have the right to gamble whenever they want.
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Gambling behaviour 2022 - Notes
Last updated: 14 June 2023
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