UKGC: overall headline problem gambling rates statistically stable

UKGC

Year-on-year problem gambling rates have continued to decline across all age group’s but the 16-24 year-old age bracket, reports the UK Gambling Commission.

This latest set of data, based on a quarterly UKGC telephone survey conducted by Yonder Consulting of 4,018 applicants, shows that general problem gambling rates have further dropped from 0.4 per cent to 0.2 per cent for the 12 months to June 2022.

The survey’s breakdown of problem gambling participation indicated a 0.3 per cent (2021: 0.6 per cent) and 0.1 per cent (2021: 0.1 per cent) split between males and females.

Participation among those between the ages of 18-24 was marked as the most vulnerable group with 0.8 per cent, up from 0.4 per cent year-on-year, with all others recording declines.

On moderate risk gambling rates, an increase to one per cent from 0.7 per cent in the year to June 2021 is recorded, with the figure for males, who made up 2,037 of respondents, remaining at 0.8 per cent, as that for females doubled among the 1,981 participating to 1.2 per cent (0.6 per cent).

Mirroring those prior figures, 16-24-year olds registered a significant rise to 3.1 per cent (2021: 0.6 per cent), with 35-44-year-olds up from 0.8 per cent to 1.5 per cent.

Low risk rate declined from two per cent to 1.5 per cent YoY, with falls recorded across the board except among the 65+ demographic that recorded a figure of 1.2 per cent (2021: one per cent).

The Commission reflected that “following two years of disruption and restrictions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, overall gambling participation remains lower than pre-covid levels, especially in relation to the proportion of people gambling in person.”

A total of 42.9 per cent (2021: 41.6 per cent) found to have participated in at least one form of gambling over the past four week was reported as “statistically stable”. The highest percentage of 49.1 per cent was recorded in the 45-54 age bracket.

Furthermore, 25.8 per cent, up from 24.7 per cent YoY, participated in at least one form of online gambling in the past four weeks, with that figure increasing from 24.1 per cent to 25.4 per cent when applied to in-person statistics.