UK Gambling Commission releases new stats

Gambling growth?

The UK Gambling Commission has released a new report into gambling within the UK, offering some interesting insights into the industry.

Latest figures from the UKGC (covering data from 2015) show that 63% of the British population gamble in some capacity, although that figure falls to 10% when looking at online gambling.

Online gambling appeals more to young male adults too, according to these new stats. 10% of 16-24 year old men and 11% of 25-34 year old men play online bingo, slot or casino games, making them the two biggest demographics in this field.

Interestingly, despite the constant struggles of offline bingo halls, it seems that most female bingo players still prefer to play the old fashioned way.

Outside of lotteries and scratchcards, offline bingo is far and away the most popular gambling activity for women of most age groups, including 11% of those aged 16-24. Those figures must be a sign of encouragement to struggling operators across the country.

Change still needed

Unfortunately, 2015 has also seen a rise in problem gambling in the UK. According to the data, 0.8% of all adults in the UK were classed as problem gamblers by either DSM-IV or PGSI screens, up from 0.6% in 2012.

Tim Miller, Executive Director of the UK Gambling Commission, has stated that everybody involved with the industry (including operators and the government) has to do more to tackle this rise, stating that “the pace of change to date simply hasn’t been fast enough”.

In June, the Government delayed a review of controversial fixed-odds betting terminals (often known as FOBTs) until October, blaming the recent General Election for slowing parliamentary process.

While the outcome of that review may not affect online gaming, it is still vital for both operators and players to consider the addictive nature of gambling, and combat problem gambling as much as possible.

If you want to read more into problem gambling, both BeGambleAware and GamCare offer excellent support and advice on the subject. You can also take a look at our Responsible Gambling page for more helpful links.