Statistics and research release
Gambling behaviour and harm among people from different ethnic groups
Gambling Commission report exploring gambling behaviour and harm among people from different ethnic groups
Summary
Also published recently
This report examines how gambling participation, gambling risk, adverse consequences and use of support services vary among people from different ethnic groups.
The analysis considers:
- overall gambling participation and participation in individual gambling activities
- the number of gambling activities undertaken and frequency of gambling
- Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) scores
- severe and other potential adverse consequences from gambling
- use of help and support services.
Key facts
Overall gambling participation was lower among participants from ethnic minority backgrounds
Participants from White backgrounds were more likely than those from ethnic minority backgrounds to have gambled in the past 4 weeks. However, this difference was mainly driven by greater participation in National Lottery and other charity lottery draws among White participants.
Participation in non-lottery draw activities was often higher among ethnic minority groups
Although participants from ethnic minority backgrounds were less likely to gamble overall, they generally reported higher participation in non-lottery draw activities. Those who gambled from Mixed or Multiple ethnic and Black backgrounds were also more likely than those from White backgrounds to have participated in 3 or more gambling activities during the past 4 weeks.
PGSI scores were higher among participants from ethnic minority backgrounds
Participants from each ethnic minority group were more likely than those from White backgrounds to have a PGSI score above zero. Among the overall population, the proportion with a PGSI score of 8 or more ranged from 1.9% among participants from White backgrounds to 7.7% among those from Mixed or Multiple ethnic backgrounds.
Adverse consequences were more common among participants from ethnic minority backgrounds
Among those who had gambled in the past 4 weeks, participants from ethnic minority backgrounds were substantially more likely to report severe and other potential adverse consequences from gambling.
Differences in adverse consequences were greatest at lower PGSI scores
Participants from ethnic minority backgrounds were more likely to report at least 1 potential adverse consequence than White participants within the same PGSI category. The difference was most pronounced at lower PGSI scores and narrowed as scores increased.
Use of support services was higher, but remained below levels of reported need
Participants from ethnic minority backgrounds were more likely than White participants to report using mental health, food bank, relationship or gambling support services because of their gambling. However, support-seeking remained well below the proportion reporting elevated PGSI scores or adverse consequences.
Details
More details can be found in the full Gambling behaviour and harm among people from different ethnic groups report.
The data tables can be found in the following Data and downloads section.
Data and downloads
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