GSGB Year 2 Data: Gambling Participation Holds Steady as Problem Gambling Figures Draw Scrutiny

The Gambling Commission has published the latest wave of the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB), covering April to July 2024 and based on interviews with 4,657 adults aged 18 and over. Overall participation in any gambling activity over the previous four weeks stood at 48%, unchanged from the prior wave, while online gambling participation was 37% — falling to 17% when lottery-only players are excluded. The National Lottery remained the most popular product (31%), followed by charity lotteries (16%), scratchcards (12%), and betting (12%). Betting participation rose by over three percentage points compared to the previous period.

Problem Gambling and Harm

The survey recorded a Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) score of eight or more for approximately 2.5% of adults — more than eight times the 0.3% rate found in previous phone-based surveys. The report’s authors cautioned that the new online methodology may overestimate prevalence, but they also noted that earlier methods likely underestimated harm. Among those who had gambled in the past year, more than one in 40 experienced severe consequences such as relationship breakdown, loss of home, or turning to crime. Rates were higher among young adults and men: over one in 20 of those aged 18–34 reported severe life impacts, while 1.9% of men said they had experienced a relationship breakdown due to gambling. More than one in 10 survey respondents reported having considered suicide, with 4.9% attributing that at least partly to gambling. The Gambling Commission’s executive director of research and policy, Tim Miller, called the data “the next significant step forward in our journey on creating a robust source of evidence for gambling in Great Britain.”

Industry and Advocacy Reactions

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) challenged the findings, arguing that “there is a significant risk GSGB overstates gambling participation and gambling-related harm.” A spokesperson pointed to the Commission’s own guidance that the data should not be used to extrapolate problem gambling prevalence to the whole population. Advocacy groups seized on the figures as evidence of a public health crisis. Charles Ritchie of Gambling with Lives, which supports families bereaved by gambling-related suicide, stated: “These figures show what many of us already knew: that the harms caused by gambling have been massively underestimated, with millions of people in the UK affected.” Will Prochaska from the Coalition Against Gambling Ads called the data “a source of national shame” and urged the government to restrict advertising and harmful products.

Policy Context

The data arrives as the UK government launches a consultation on banning unlicensed gambling sponsorship in sport and considers secondary legislation to regulate gambling advertising. Labour has pledged in its manifesto to reform gambling regulation, and the newly appointed gambling minister, Fiona Twycross, is expected to pursue a balanced approach that addresses harm while acknowledging responsible gambling. The Gambling Commission stressed “the importance of understanding the broader consequences and risks of gambling from a range of measures rather than relying on one metric.” A government spokesperson said: “Most people gamble without issue, but we recognise the impact harmful gambling can have… we will consider its findings carefully.”