A new way to measure consumer trust: GSGB data helps to shine a light on consumer perceptions and experiences
Our Research and Impact Manager Debbie Swash introduces new baseline data on consumer trust following the publication of the third annual report from the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB).
Posted 23 July 2026 by Debbie Swash
Consumer trust is an important barometer for us as a regulator, to understand how consumers view the gambling industry, both from the perspective of our fair and open objective and considering risk around innovation in the sector.
Building and maintaining trust with consumers is fundamental to any business. It drives loyalty and retention and builds reputation which forms part of the public discussion around a sector.
So, understanding what consumer perceptions and experiences are, and what impacts their trust, is a helpful way for us to measure this. This is why it has been a longstanding metric of interest to the Commission and is reported in our annual impact metrics.
Today, we have released a headline report which delves into the first set of annual data (collected from January 2025 to January 2026) from a new multi-statement consumer trust question, which builds on from our original consumer trust research and was added to the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB) at the end of 2024, with piloting and validation processes to refine and test the question, taking place during 2025.
The new trust question covers 5 themes that consumers told us were important and had an influence on consumer trust:
- regulation and accountability
- protection and safety measures
- transparency and fairness
- advertising and promotions
- customer experience and support.
Building around these themes, the new consumer trust question has 8 statements for participants to answer, with 5 of those statements forming a composite trust index (0-100). The higher the score, the higher the measurement of trust.
In the first full year of the consumer trust data forming our baseline, the overall composite trust score for people who have gambled in the past 12 months currently sits at 47.9, out of a possible 100.
Analysis showed that demographic factors, the types of activities consumers participated in, and their feelings towards their most recent gambling experience had an influence on consumer trust.
Notably, trust scores increase as age rises. 18 to 24-year-olds reported lower levels of trust compared to those aged 75 and older. This difference in age groups was replicated across all 5 statements. There could be various reasons as to why this generational difference in consumer trust is occurring, ranging from their levels of gambling experience, types of activities played by each demographic, or even more widely it could be that social trust among younger adults is lower than the rest of the population, and this finding is one of example of this. It is a demographic area worth exploring further to see if this trend is similar in other sectors or institutions.
Younger respondents aged 18 to 44, and females, were also more likely to disagree that "gambling companies are free from corruption", compared with those aged 45 or over and male respondents. This was a perception that consumers conveyed in the qualitative phase of the research, and was found to be a key driver of overall trust amongst consumers. These views could be driven by the presence of risk, chance, and potential loss that comes with gambling. Or influenced by the reporting of regulatory activity such as enforcement cases and investigations. Debates around illegal gambling could also shape consumer perceptions of potential corruption, and the blurring of the lines between the regulated and unregulated gambling market is an area that we will continue to monitor closely.
There is an opportunity for this to be explored further using data from the GSGB, as we are currently piloting new survey questions which focus on consumers’ participation in gambling via illegal websites. These will soon be used alongside the new consumer trust question, and a range of other variables, to provide greater clarity on consumers’ motivations and experiences. We will be sharing more details on this work in the autumn.
We have highlighted previously how consumers have shared their experiences of withdrawing their funds and the challenges they feel they have faced. Our data shows that the statement "It is quick and easy to withdraw and collect my winnings", had a trust score of (48.7). It's reassuring to see a material number of consumers agreeing with this statement and having a positive experience when doing so. A quarter of our contact centre complaints between 2024 and 2025 involved complaints relating to withdrawal of funds and financial transactions, so we know it is an important issue for consumers. This new trust statement provides us with a helpful baseline figure to enable us to continue to monitor this area over time.
Overall, our data shows that trust is not uniform across consumers, and that they hold diverse views depending on their perception, circumstances and patterns of play.
This is the first deep dive we have taken into the full set of annual data on the new consumer trust question, and we are already seeing the benefits of the insights the new data is giving us.
By tracking trust over time, we’ll be able to see where progress is being made and where further action is needed to ensure gambling in Great Britain is fair, transparent, and safe.
Read more in the initial findings from new data on consumer trust – GSGB.
Read the full technical report on understanding and measuring consumer trust in the gambling industry.