Report

GSGB: Different survey, same story? (written by Professor Heather Wardle)

Detail from 2 academic reports used to assess whether the GSGB and HSE tell a coherent story about how gambling is distributed across groups, products, and contexts.

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Published
16 July 2026

Last updated
16 July 2026 - Changes

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Report 1: Understanding product risk

Wardle and Tipping (2025) (opens in new tab) used data from both the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB) (2023, Year 1) and the Health Surveys for England (HSE) 2015 to 2018 to examine the association between engagement in different gambling products and Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) scores. While the 2 surveys measure participation in specific gambling formats in slightly different ways, there is sufficient overlap to assess whether they reveal consistent patterns.

Applying consistent analytic methods, the study examined whether participation in each activity was associated with PGSI scores of 8 or more, as well as with elevated PGSI scores more broadly, while taking into account overall levels of gambling involvement.

Table 1 summarises the consistency of associations between products and PGSI scores of 8 or more across the 2 studies. Both the Health Surveys and GSGB identified online casino games, online slots, and fruit and/or slot machines as being strongly associated with PGSI scores of 8 or more. The GSGB analysis additionally identified 3 further activities which were associated with PGSI scores of 8 or more where a similar pattern was not observed in the Health Surveys data. Table 2 presents the same information but this time looking at how products were associated with PGSI scores overall. Again, there was some commonality along with a couple of additional activities which were significant in one study but not the other.

Despite differences in how gambling activities were categorised, clear commonalities emerged. On this basis, the authors concluded that there is consistent evidence that online casino gambling, online slots, and electronic gambling machines are strongly associated with elevated PGSI scores and with PGSI scores of 8 or more. These findings align closely with the wider evidence base on product risk, reinforcing the robustness of the observed patterns.

Table 1: Comparison of activities associated with PGSI scores of 8 or more, by survey

• Similar findings: Online casino and/or slots and/or bingo
• Similar findings: Online casino games; Online slot games
• Similar findings: Fruit and/or slot machines
• Similar findings: Fruit and/or slot machines
• Similar findings: Fixed Odd Betting Terminals
• Similar findings: Casino games on a machine
• Different findings: Not significant in HSE
• Different findings: Casino in person
• Different findings: Not significant in HSE
• Different findings: Betting on sports events in person
• Different findings: Not significant in HSE
• Different findings: Betting on other events in person
• No comparisons possible: Betting exchanges
• No comparisons possible: Not measured in past 12 months in GSGB
• No comparisons possible: Poker in a club
• No comparisons possible: Not measured in GSGB
• No comparisons possible: Not measured in HSE
• No comparisons possible: Betting on other events online
• No comparisons possible: Not measured in HSE
• No comparisons possible: Other instant wins

This table shows product that were significant at the 99 percent level in the fully adjusted models in either the HSE or the GSGB.

Table 2: Comparison of activities associated with elevated PGSI scores, by survey

• Similar findings: Online casino and/or slots and/or bingo
• Similar findings: Online casino games; Online slot games
• Similar findings: Fruit and/or slot machines
• Similar findings: Fruit and/or slot machines
• Similar findings: Fixed Odd Betting Terminals
• Similar findings: Casino games on a machine
• Similar findings: Online betting
• Similar findings: Sports betting online
• Different findings: Not significant in HSE
• Different findings: Casino in person
• Different findings: Not significant in HSE
• Different findings: Betting on sports events in person
• Different findings: Betting on other events at a bookmaker
• Different findings: Not significant in GSGB
• Different findings: Bingo in person
• Different findings: Not significant in GSGB
• No comparisons possible: Betting exchanges
• No comparisons possible: Not measured in past 12 months in GSGB
• No comparisons possible: Poker in a club
• No comparisons possible: Not measured in GSGB
• No comparisons possible: Betting on dog races at a bookmakers
• No comparisons possible: Not measured in GSGB
• No comparisons possible: Spreadbetting
• No comparisons possible: Not measured in GSGB
• No comparisons possible: Not measured in HSE
• No comparisons possible: National Lottery Instant Win Games
• No comparisons possible: Not measured in HSE
• No comparisons possible: Other Instant Win Games

This table shows product that were significant at the 99 percent level in the fully adjusted models in either the HSE or the GSGB.

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Introduction - GSGB: Different survey, same story? Next section
Report 2: Exploring the relationship between PGSI scores and health and wellbeing - GSGB: Different survey, same story?

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Last updated: 16 July 2026

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