Exploring consumer journeys using deposit limits

Introduction

The Gambling Commission, in partnership with Yonder, conducted quantitative research to explore consumer experiences of using deposit limits. This research builds upon our previous research into customer-led tools published about deposit limits. The research consists of an online self-report survey conducted by Yonder, focused on adults (aged 18 years and over) who have gambled in the last 12 months. The responses were analysed by the Commission’s Research and Statistics team.

This report outlines key findings covering the following areas:

• gambling management tools (tools that are available to support those who gamble to manage the amount or the way in which they gamble)

• financial limits (a type of gambling management tool, such as spend, loss, or deposit limits, that are set by a consumer to help manage how much money is spent on gambling)

• deposit limits (a type of financial limit, wherein the amount a consumer can deposit into their account is limited over a particular duration, for example, per week)

• net deposit limit (the overall deposit limit remaining after any amounts have been added or removed from the gross total)

• gross deposit limit (the overall deposit limit before any amounts have been added or removed).

For a full list of relevant definitions, see our Appendix.

Aims and methodology

This research was designed to explore the following core questions:

• what are consumers’ attitudes towards, and engagement with, customer-led gambling management tools, specifically in relation to deposit limits?
• what are consumers’ previous experiences of using deposit limits?
• what level of understanding do consumers have around different types of deposit limits (that is, net and gross deposit limits)?
• do consumers intend to use net or gross deposit limits in the future?

This research used an online quantitative survey: data was collected from 1,019 adults aged 18 years and over in Great Britain. The sample consisted of individuals who had gambled in the last 12 months, excluding those who had only gambled on: The National Lottery and scratchcards. Fieldwork took place from 10 to 12 June 2024.

Key findings - Awareness and use of gambling management tools

17 percent of all respondents reported having ever used a reality check before, whilst one-quarter (25 percent) reported having ever used financial limits (see the following Table 1).

Table 1: Respondent awareness and use of gambling management tools

Question: Have you ever used any of the following certain online safer gambling tools?

Table 1: Respondent awareness and use of gambling management tools

Gambling management tool	Used in the last 12 months (percentage)	Used more than 12 months ago (percentage)	Aware, but never used (percentage)	Not aware (percentage)	Cannot remember or do not know if used (percentage)	Prefer not to say (percentage)	NET: Used (percentage)	NET: Aware (percentage)
Reality check	11%	7%	48%	27%	7%	1%	17%	66%
Financial limit	19%	7%	54%	13%	7%	1%	25%	79%

Note: Where figures do not add up respectively, it is because of rounding. Total respondents: 1,019.

Furthermore, of those who had ever used financial limits (a total of 325 respondents) deposit limits were the most commonly used (58 percent), followed by spend limits (47 percent). Only one-fifth (22 percent) had ever used loss limits¹.

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¹ Respondents were provided with definitions aligned with the remote gambling and software technical standards (RTS) definitions, however, we cannot guarantee full understanding, as we are aware that limits are referred to differently across various gambling systems.

Key findings - Experiences of using deposit limits

Those who reported ever having used deposit limits (a total of 190 respondents) were generally positive about their experiences, with around three-quarters agreeing to the following statements, namely that deposit limits:

• stopped them from making impulsive deposits (75 percent)
• helped them to budget and/or track the money they spend on gambling (74 percent)
• made them feel more in control of their gambling behaviour (74 percent)
• stopped them from spending more money than they wanted to (70 percent).

At least a quarter of those who reported having ever used deposit limits agreed with each of the following statements about them:

• restricted my gambling behaviour unnecessarily (30 percent)
• had little impact on the amount of money I spend gambling (30 percent)
• felt like an inconvenience during my gambling sessions (26 percent).

Key findings - Understanding of a net or gross deposit limit

Respondents who gambled online and respondents who no longer gambled online but had previously used financial limits (a total of 916 respondents) were asked about their experiences and understanding of either a net or gross deposit limit. The remaining 103 respondents, who did not meet these criteria, were not asked about these topics.

The 916 respondents were randomly split into two groups: half were asked questions relating to net deposit limits only, whilst the other half were asked questions relating to gross deposit limits only (a total of 458 respondents within each group).

To gauge levels of comprehension of how net and gross deposit limits work, each group was given a scenario.

After completing the scenario-based comprehension question, respondents were asked to rate their confidence in the accuracy of their calculation and were asked further questions about their usage and intent to use a net or gross deposit limit in future (see data tables for full survey results).

Net deposit limits

Net deposit limit group: 458 respondents.

Comprehension of net deposit limits was poor, with slightly more respondents (44 percent) entering an incorrect amount than correct (43 percent), and a further 13 percent selected ‘Do not know’ (see the following Chart 1).

Despite this, respondents’ confidence in the accuracy of their calculation was relatively high, with nearly half (48 percent) providing a confidence score of 75 percent or more out of 100 percent, with 100 percent being ‘completely confident’ (398 respondents)¹.

Gross deposit limits

Gross deposit limit group: 458 respondents.

Comprehension of gross deposit limits was comparable to that of net deposit limits; 46 percent of respondents in this group answered the scenario-based question correctly, 39 percent provided an incorrect response and a further 16 percent selected ‘Do not know’ (see the following Chart 1).

Respondents’ confidence in the accuracy of their calculation was high with 43 percent providing a confidence score of 75 percent or higher (387 respondents)².

Chart 1: Respondent understanding of net and gross deposit limits

Question: What is Jane’s net or gross deposit limit for the rest of the month? (Scenario)

Chart 1: Respondent understanding of net and gross deposit limits

Comprehension level	Net deposit limits (percentage)	Gross deposit limits (percentage)
Answered correctly	43%	46%
Answered incorrectly	44%	39%
Do not know	13%	16%

Note: Where figures do not add up to 100%, it is because of rounding.

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¹ Of 398 respondents, those who selected ‘do not know’ for the scenario-based comprehension question were not asked for a confidence score.

² Of 387 respondents, those who selected ‘do not know’ for the scenario-based comprehension question were not asked for a confidence score.

Key findings - Intent to use a net or gross deposit limit in the future

Net deposit limits

Net deposit limit group: 458 respondents.

Usage of this type of limit was low, with eight in ten respondents (82 percent) reporting that they have never used net deposit limits before, and only 6 percent of respondents certain that they had.

A fifth of respondents (20 percent) said they would consider using this type of limit in future, while more respondents said they would not (61 percent) and a further 19 percent selected ‘Do not know’ (a total of 444 respondents)¹.

When asked to explain why they would consider using a net deposit limit in future, most comments were related to managing finances.

When asked to explain why they would not use a net deposit limit in future, the most common reasons related to respondents’ belief that they could manage their own gambling without the use of a deposit limit. Additional comments included that net deposit limits seemed complicated and/or confusing.

Gross deposit limits

Gross deposit limit group: 458 respondents.

Over a tenth (13 percent) had used a gross deposit limit before – a further 12 percent reported being unsure if they had used a gross deposit limit previously, and 67 percent reported never having done so.

A third (32 percent) of respondents in this group reported that they would consider using a gross deposit limit in future, whilst more respondents said that they would not (54 percent) and a further 15 percent selected ‘Do not know’ (a total of 426 respondents)².

When asked to explain why they would consider using a gross deposit limit in future, most comments were related again to managing finances.

When asked to explain why they would not use a gross deposit limit in future, similar to the net deposit limit group, the most common reasons related to respondents’ belief that they could manage their own gambling without the use of a deposit limit.

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¹ Of 444 respondents, the 14 who selected ‘prefer not to say’ about net deposit limit usage were not asked about future use. The 6 percent who had previously used a net deposit limit were included in this question.

² Of 426 respondents, the 32 who selected ‘prefer not to say’ about gross deposit limit usage were not asked about future use. The 13 percent who had previously used a gross deposit limit were included in this question.

Appendix

Definitions of key terms

Gambling management tools

Tools that are available to support those who gamble to manage the amount or the way in which they gamble. In the majority of cases, customers will choose to access or use these tools either before, during or after gambling.

Reality check

A reminder set up by a customer which appears on screen to help track the amount of time is spent on gambling.

Financial limits

Such as spend, loss, or deposit limits, that are set by a customer to help manage how much money is spent on gambling.

Spend limits

A type of financial limit where the amount a customer can stake or spend on gambling is limited in a specified time frame. This includes new money deposited as well as money already in a customer’s gambling account.

Loss limits

A type of financial limit where a customer can limit the amount of money they are prepared to lose in a specified time frame. Any winnings offset the amount staked or spent.

Deposit limits

A type of financial limit where the amount a customer can deposit into their account is limited over a particular duration (for example, per week).

Net deposit limit

The overall deposit limit remaining after any amounts have been added or removed from the gross total. For example, total limit minus (-) amount deposited plus (+) amount withdrawn equals (=) net limit.

Gross deposit limit

The overall deposit limit before any amounts have been added or removed. For example, total limit minus (–) amount deposited equals (=) gross limit.