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Background

The Gambling Commission was set up under the Gambling Act 2005 to regulate commercial gambling in Great Britain (GB) in partnership with licensing authorities.

There are three licensing objectives for the Commission that underpin the Act:

  • ensuring gambling is kept free from crime and disorder
  • ensuring gambling is conducted in a fair and open way
  • protection of children and vulnerable adults.

Gambling in GB has been rising rapidly in recent years. The Gross Gambling Yield (GGY1 ) in 2018 was £14.5bn up from less than £11.5bn in 2012.2 The significance of the online proportion of this total has also been rising. Excluding lotteries, online gambling now accounts for over 50% of the total industry GGY, up from 44% in 2015.3 Within the online segment, the importance of the mobile segment is rapidly becoming dominant. The proportion of online gamblers using mobile phones to gamble has almost doubled, from 23% in 2015 to 44% in 2018.4

The GC estimate that 0.7%5 of the GB adult population are problem gamblers up from 0.6% in 20126 . Problem gamblers being those individuals who gamble with negative consequences and a possible loss of control. The Commission estimate 5.1% of the adult population in Great Britain are at risk of becoming problem gamblers, that is they show some signs of problem gambling but remain below the threshold for ‘problem’ gambling.

  • 2018 - 2012 GB Gross Gambling Yield (GGY)(1) - £11.5bn increased to £14.5bn(3)
  • 2018 - 2012 Estimated Online Gambling (GGY)(1) - 34% increased 50%(3)
  • Problem Gambler % Adult Population(1) - £0.6% increased to £0.7%(4)
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Background: Impact of web-based and mobile technology on characteristics of Online Gambling

Last updated: 13 June 2024

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