Statistics and research release
Statistics on gambling participation – Annual report Year 2 (2024): Official statistics
Findings from the Gambling Survey for Great Britain: Statistics on gambling participation, experiences of and reasons for gambling, and consequences from gambling.
Summary
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The data being released today contains findings from the second year of the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB). The survey aims to collect data to enable us to further understand:
- who participates in gambling
- what type of gambling activities they participate in
- experiences of and reasons for gambling
- the consequences that gambling can have on individuals and others close to them.
This survey was conducted using a push-to-web approach, with data collected from 19,714 adults aged 18 years and older living in Great Britain. Fieldwork was carried out between January 2024 and January 2025, consisting of four waves running quarterly. The survey is commissioned by the Gambling Commission and carried out by the National Centre for Social Research in collaboration with the University of Glasgow.
The push-to-web methodology of this survey means that estimates presented in this report are not directly comparable with results from prior gambling or health surveys and such comparisons should not be used to assess trends over time. The GSGB data outlined in this report represents the second year of a new baseline.
The GSGB, like most other surveys, collects information from a sample of the population. Statistics based on surveys are estimates, rather than precise figures, and are subject to a margin of error (a 95 percent confidence interval). Generally, the larger the sample the smaller the margin of error. Consequently, the GSGB Year 2 survey has a sample size of just under 20,000 participants to minimise the margin of error.
Further details on the GSGB methodology can be found in the GSGB technical report .
All surveys have strengths and limitations and we have outlined the strengths and limitations of our approach in the data analysis and reporting section of the technical report . We have also published guidance on how to use the statistics from the GSGB.
Key facts
Participation
Nearly half (48 percent) of participants aged 18 and over participated in any form of gambling in the past four weeks. Gambling participation was 28 percent when those who only participated in lottery draws were excluded. This remains consistent with the previous year.
Participants were more likely to gamble online than gamble in person (38 percent and 29 percent respectively), however, much of this difference was accounted for by people purchasing lottery tickets online. When lottery draws are removed, 18 percent of participants had gambled in person, compared with 16 percent online. This remains consistent with the previous year.
The mean number of activities for those who had participated in gambling in the past 4 weeks was 2.4 activities. The most commonly reported activities were the National Lottery (31 percent), buying tickets for other charity lotteries (16 percent), and buying scratchcards (13 percent). This remains consistent with the previous year.
Experiences of and reasons for gambling
When asked to rate their feelings towards gambling out of 10, where 10 represented that they loved it, and 0 represented that they hated it. 42 percent of adults who gambled in the past 12 months rated the last time they gambled with a positive score of between 6 and 10, 37 percent gave a score of 5, expressing that they neither loved or hated it, and 21 percent gave a negative score of between 0 and 4. When participation in lottery draws was excluded, the pattern was similar with a higher proportion giving a positive score (49 percent between 6 and 10, 32 percent a neutral score of 5, and 19 percent a negative score between 0 and 4). This is consistent with the previous year.
The most common reasons for adults to participate in gambling were for the chance of winning big money (85 percent), because gambling is fun (72 percent), to make money (57 percent) and because it was exciting (56 percent). This is consistent with the previous year.
Consequences from gambling
The Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) is used to measure both behavioural symptoms of gambling disorder and certain adverse consequences from gambling. The PGSI consists of 9 items that are rated on a 4 point-scale. The PGSI categories represent a continuum of risk, ranging from those experiencing no adverse consequences or behavioural symptoms of disorder to those experiencing both.
Among all participants:
- 8.8 percent had a PGSI score of 1 to 2
- 3.1 percent had a PGSI score of 3 to 7
- 2.7 percent had a PGSI score of 8 or more.
The Commission has developed a new set of questions used in the GSGB to measure a broad range of adverse consequences from gambling. These aim to add a greater level of insight into the adverse consequences of gambling that are experienced.
Of all adults who had gambled in the past 12 months, the most reported severe consequence was relationship breakdown due to own gambling (1.6 percent), whilst the most frequently reported potential adverse consequences (happening at least occasionally) were reducing spending on everyday items (6.7 percent), lying to family (6.0 percent) and using spendings or borrowing money (5.7 percent).
Help seeking for own gambling
3.4 percent of those who gambled in the past 12 months had sought support because of their own gambling. The proportion of participants who had sought support from each type of service was similar, ranging from 1.2 percent for gambling support services to 1.7 percent for mental health services and food banks or welfare organisations.
Consequences from someone else’s gambling
The GSGB includes questions about the impact of someone else’s gambling, an area that has previously had limited research. These questions covered the same set of severe and potential adverse consequences due to one’s own gambling outlined above. Questions were only asked of those who reported someone close to them gambled.
Almost half (47.9 percent) of all participants reported that someone close to them gambled, even if occasionally.
Help seeking due to someone else’s gambling
Participants who reported that someone close to them gambled were asked whether they had sought any help, support, or information as a result, either online, in person, or by telephone.
Of those who reported that someone close to them gambled, 3.3 percent had sought some form of support.
Details
Please note that the data presented from the GSGB is not comparable to previous gambling survey publications due to changes in the methodology.
Full publication and key information
View the GSGB Annual report (2024)
Publication produced by: National Centre for Social Research and the University of Glasgow.
Publication authors: Wardle, H., Ridout, K., Tipping, S., Sadler, K., Maxineanu, I., & Hill, S.
Responsible Statistician: Helen Bryce (Head of Statistics).
Alongside the GSGB Annual report (2024) we have also published two topic reports that help to enhance our understanding of the GSGB data, by providing a deep dive into two specific topic areas:
Investigating the profiles of those who gamble more frequently
Publication authors: Tipping, S. and Wardle, H. (University of Glasgow)
Understanding the adverse consequences of gambling
Publication author: Ruddock, H. (Gambling Commission)
Notes
This publication is primarily for anyone who has an involvement or interest in the gambling industry including government, licensed operators, trade bodies, international regulators, journalists, academic researchers, financial institutions, statisticians, consumers and local authorities.
About the status of official statistics.
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