Report
Understanding the impact of increased cost of living on gambling behaviour - Final report
Gambling Commission's research report with Yonder into the behaviours and motivations of gamblers during the current period of high cost of living in Great Britain.
Contents
- Introduction
- Methodology
- How to read this report
- Summary of findings
- Personal finances and cost of living
- Financial comfort and concerns around cost of living
- Relationship with gambling
- Impact of cost of living on gambling behaviours
- Gambling has stayed the same
- Gambling because it’s fun but will make cutbacks if needed
- Gambling is an inherent part of life
- Change in gambling behaviour
- The number of occasions on which you have spent money on these gambling activities
- The amount of money spent on these gambling activities
- The amount of time spent gambling on these activities
- Typical stakes
- Motivations for gambling
- Conclusions
- Appendix A - Gambling activities
- Appendix B - Reading longitudinal tables
- Appendix C - Motivations for gambling – subgroup analysis by statement
Typical stakes
Finally, several sub-groups based on demographic and behavioural metrics have also been observed to be more likely to have increased or decreased the typical stake spent on gambling activities. Across the three waves of tracking, around 1 in 10 (9 percent) of gamblers reported to have increased their typical stake on gambling at least once. A third (34 percent) reported to have decreased their typical stake on gambling at least once during the course of tracking.
Sub-group analysis of those that reported an increase on their typical stake when gambling showed the following:
- those earning an income of £41,000
- those with children under 18 years old
- those betting in-person, ethnic minorities - among those, Asian people, those with a university degree, more than 4 or 5 people in the household, individuals with a mental health condition, those who are single, and those currently working.
In a review of individuals who reported to decrease their typical stake in gambling activities, the following demographic groups stood out:
- families with children between the ages of 5 and 18 years and over
- larger households with more than 5 people,
- non-white individuals
- married individuals.
In this section, we detail the longitudinal movements of respondents related to key gambling behaviours in between wave 1 and wave 3.
Demographic analysis was not executed for this section due to low base size
For instructions on how to read the longitudinal tables please refer to Appendix B of this report.
Previous trend analysis amongst gamblers showed that less than 1 in 10 in wave 1 (8 percent) and wave 3 (6 percent) report an increase on occasions on which they have spent money on gambling activities.
Table 2.1 Impact of Cost of Living on Gambling Behaviours movements from Wave 1 to Wave 3 – The number of occasions on which you have spent money on these gambling activities (gamblers)
| The number of occasions on which you have spent money on these gambling activities | Total Wave 1 |
Wave 3 NET: Increased |
Wave 3 Stayed the same |
Wave 3 NET: Decreased |
Wave 3 Don't know |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NET: Increased (percentage) |
8% | 36% | 45% | 18% | 0% |
| Counts | 44 | 16 | 20 | 8 | 0 |
| Stayed the same (percentage) |
66% | 3% | 73% | 23% | 1% |
| Counts | 369 | 10 | 270 | 86 | 3 |
| NET: Decreased (percentage) |
23% | 5% | 37% | 58% | 1% |
| Counts | 126 | 6 | 46 | 73 | 1 |
| Don't know (percentage) |
4% | 0% | 65% | 20% | 15% |
| Counts | 20 | 0 | 13 | 4 | 3 |
Statement: The number of occasions on which you have spent money on these gambling activities
Base: All those who have engaged in a gambling activity in the last 4 weeks W1/W3 (559). NETs include the following: NET: Increased (Increased a little/ Increased a lot), NET: Decreased (Decreased a little/ Decreased a lot).
An analysis of longitudinal movements reveals that of the respondents who previously reported an increase in this behaviour in wave 1, a plurality moved on to report that their behaviour had stayed the same in wave 3 (45 percent). Those who previously responded that their behaviour had stayed the same on this statement in wave 1 were most likely to continue answering ‘stayed the same’ in wave 3 (73 percent), similar to the majority of those who reported a decrease in this behaviour in wave 1 who continued to report a decreased in this behaviour in wave 3 (58 percent). The greatest proportion of those who previously reported ‘don’t know’ went on to report that their behaviour had stayed the same in wave 3 (65 percent).
More than a third (36 percent) that had said they increased their number of occasions in wave 1 report the same in wave 3.
Only 3 percent of those that said their number of occasions had stayed the same in wave 1, went on to increase a little or a lot in wave 3.
Similarly, 5 percent of those that previously said they had decreased their number of gambling occasions moved on to say they had increased in wave 3.
None (0 percent) of those that had responded ‘Don’t know’ in wave 1 went on to say they increased in wave 3.
Initial reporting on changes to the amount of money spent on gambling activities amongst all gamblers showed that less than 1 in 10 in wave 1 (8 percent) and in wave 3 (6 percent) reported an increase in spend.
Table 2.2 Impact of Cost of Living on Gambling Behaviours movements from Wave 1 to Wave 3 – The amount of money spent on these gambling activities (gamblers)
| The amount of money spent on these gambling activities | Total Wave 1 |
Wave 3 NET: Increased |
Wave 3 Stayed the same |
Wave 3 NET: Decreased |
Wave 3 Don't know |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NET: Increased (percentage) |
8% | 40% | 47% | 14% | 0% |
| Counts | 43 | 17 | 20 | 6 | 0 |
| Stayed the same (percentage) |
66% | 4% | 74% | 23% | less than 0% |
| Counts | 367 | 13 | 270 | 83 | 1 |
| NET: Decreased (percentage) |
23% | 5% | 34% | 59% | 2% |
| Counts | 128 | 6 | 44 | 76 | 2 |
| Don't know (percentage) |
4% | 5% | 57% | 29% | 10% |
| Counts | 21 | 1 | 12 | 6 | 2 |
Statement: The amount of money spent on these gambling activities. Base: All those who have engaged in a gambling activity in the last 4 weeks W1/W3 (559). NETs include the following: NET: Increased (Increased a little, Increased a lot), NET: Decreased (Decreased a little, Decreased a lot).
An analysis of longitudinal movements reveals that of the respondents who previously reported an increase in this statement in wave 1, 47 percent moved to report that their behaviour had stayed the same in wave 3. Those who previously responded that their behaviour had stayed the same on this statement in wave 1 were also most likely to answer the same in wave 3 (74 percent), similar to the majority of those who reported a decrease on wave 1 who continued to report a decrease in wave 3 (59 percent). The greatest proportion of those who previously reported ‘don’t know’ went on to report that their behaviour had stayed the same in wave 3 (57 percent).
Two fifths (40 percent) of respondents that had previously reported an increase, continued to report the same in wave 3.
Only 4 percent of respondents that had selected ‘Stayed the same’ in wave 1, went on to say that they have increased the amount of money spent on gambling on wave 3.
Similarly, 5 percent that said they had decreased the amount of money spent went on to say they increased on wave 3.
And 5 percent previously responding ‘Don’t know’ changed their response to an increase on wave 3.
Previous trend analysis at a total level showed that 7 percent of gamblers in wave 1 and 6 percent in wave 3 reported an increase when asked if there were any changes to the amount of time spent on gambling.
Table 2.3 Impact of Cost of Living on Gambling Behaviours movements from Wave 1 to Wave 3 – The amount of time spent gambling on these activities (gamblers)
| The amount of time spent gambling on these activities | Total Wave 1 |
Wave 3 NET: Increased |
Wave 3 Stayed the same |
Wave 3 NET: Decreased |
Wave 3 Don't know |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NET: Increased (percentage) |
7% | 39% | 44% | 17% | 0% |
| Counts | 41 | 16 | 18 | 7 | 0 |
| Stayed the same (percentage) |
68% | 3% | 77% | 19% | 1% |
| Counts | 379 | 11 | 290 | 73 | 5 |
| NET: Decreased (percentage) |
22% | 6% | 39% | 55% | 1% |
| Counts | 121 | 7 | 47 | 66 | 1 |
| Don't know (percentage) |
3% | 0% | 67% | 11% | 22% |
| Counts | 18 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 4 |
Statement: The amount of time spent gambling on these activities Base: All those who have engaged in a gambling activity in the last 4 weeks W1/W3 (559). NETs include the following: NET: Increased (Increased a little, Increased a lot), NET: Decreased (Decreased a little, Decreased a lot).
An analysis of longitudinal movements reveals that of the respondents who previously reported an increase in this statement in Wave 1, 44 percent went on to report that their behaviour had stayed the same in wave 3. Those who previously responded that their behaviour had stayed the same on this statement in wave 1 were most likely to answer the same in wave 3 (77 percent), similar to the majority of those who reported a decrease in wave 1 and continued to report a decrease in wave 3 (55 percent). The greatest proportion of those who previously reported ‘don’t know’ went on to report that their behaviour had stayed the same in wave 3 (67 percent).
Over a third (39 percent) of people continued to report an increase on wave 3.
Only 3 percent that had said previously that their time spent in gambling stayed the same, changed their mind and reported an increase in wave 3.
For those that first reported a decrease in wave 1, 6 percent have changed their response on wave 3 to say it has increased.
None (0 percent) of those who previously said ‘Don’t know’ moved on to say they had increased the amount of time spend on gambling activities in wave 3.
Finally, when asked about how the typical stake placed had changed, previous trend analysis at a total level revealed that 5 percent of gamblers, on average across waves, reported an increase in their typical stake.
Table 2.4 Impact of Cost of Living on Gambling Behaviours movements from Wave 1 to Wave 3 – The typical stake that you place when gambling on these activities (gamblers)
| The typical stake that you place when gambling on these activities (gamblers) | Total Wave 1 |
Wave 3 NET: Increased |
Wave 3 Stayed the same |
Wave 3 NET: Decreased |
Wave 3 Don't know |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NET: Increased (percentage) |
5% | 37% | 43% | 20% | 0% |
| Counts | 30 | 11 | 13 | 6 | 0 |
| Stayed the same (percentage) |
72% | 3% | 79% | 17% | 1% |
| Counts | 405 | 12 | 320 | 70 | 3 |
| NET: Decreased (percentage) |
19% | 7% | 39% | 52% | 2% |
| Counts | 104 | 7 | 47 | 54 | 2 |
| Don't know (percentage) |
4% | 5% | 55% | 20% | 20% |
| Counts | 20 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 4 |
Statement: The typical stake that you place when gambling on these activities Base: All those who have engaged in a gambling activity in the last 4 weeks W1/W3 (559). NETs include the following: NET: Increased (Increased a little, Increased a lot), NET: Decreased (Decreased a little, Decreased a lot).
An analysis of longitudinal movements reveals that of the respondents who previously reported an increase in this statement in Wave 1, 43 percent went on to report that their behaviour had stayed the same in wave 3. Those who previously responded that their behaviour had stayed the same on this statement in wave 1 were also most likely to give the same response in wave 3 (79 percent). This is similar to the majority of those who reported a decrease in wave 1 and continued to report a decrease in wave 3 (55 percent). The greatest proportion of those who previously reported ‘don’t know’ went on to report that their behaviour had stayed the same in wave 3 (55 percent).
An analysis of those who report and increase in wave 3 revealed the following shifts:
- a little over one third (37 percent) of people continued to report increases in their typical stake in wave 3
- only 3 percent responding ‘Stayed the same’ In wave 1 moved to say their typical stake had increased in wave 3
- amongst those previously reporting a decrease, 7 percent had changed their response in wave 3 to say it had increased
- 5 percent said their typical stake had increased In in wave 3 after previously replying ‘don’t know’ in wave 1.
The amount of time spent gambling on these activities
Last updated: 3 April 2024
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