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Image of Strategy Manager Donna Bateman alongside the blog title - 'Consumers' views on informed choice in gambling'

Consumers’ views on informed choice in gambling

Our Strategy Manager Donna Bateman introduces new research looking at what "informed choice" means to gambling consumers.

Posted 15 September 2026 by Donna Bateman

Our current Corporate Strategy, published in April 2024, set out our commitment to increase the resource available to improve our understanding of issues which pose a risk to the fair and open licensing objective.

The key outcomes we are seeking in relation to fair and open gambling are:

  • products and services provided by licensees are fair and deliver what they promise
  • consumers are able to make informed choices about their gambling
  • licensees ensure consumer issues are addressed fairly and promptly.

Our Statement of Principles for licensing and regulation details our expectation that operators will have due regard to the information needs of consumers and communicate with them in a way that is clear, not misleading, and allows them to make a properly informed judgment about whether to gamble.

The concept of 'informed choice' is a key tenet of consumer protection and rights law, and at a basic level, it means giving the consumer the right information at the right time in a way they understand so they can make a genuine decision.

We were keen that the consumer view played a central role in our deeper assessment of fairness and transparency issues, and that starts with 'informed choice'. While many factors that support 'informed choice' are already understood, we wanted a deeper insight into what this means for gambling consumers, both as a concept and in practice. We were keen to understand how views may differ according to the products they are choosing to gamble on, whether they are gambling online or at land-based venues, or are a casual or regular gambler. We were also keen to understand the extent to which this may change during the consumer journey.

The Behavioural Insights Team's (BIT) report, which forms part of our Consumer Voice programme of research, shows the complexities of 'informed choice' as a concept. It provides useful insights for all stakeholders into consumer experiences and their expectations, and how changes could be made to enhance decision-making processes for consumers.

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