Latest Study Shows Steady Decline in UK Problem Gambling Rates

The most current study carried out by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) indicates that the rate of problem gambling in the United Kingdom is still rather low, ranging around 0.2 percent. That is right – the odds of encountering a problem gambler in the UK are incredibly low.

No Going Back

The data shows that the authorities’ efforts to address problem gambling have been effective, with the prevalence of problem gambling among British adults declining over the last couple of years. This means that the UKGC’s previous policies have had a positive impact, resulting in a steady decrease in problem gambling rates.

Notwithstanding these promising results, the UKGC is not backing down from its commitment to further regulate the sector to maintain the current low rates of problem gambling. The commission thinks more regulations are needed to protect the general population and keep gambling in the United Kingdom a fun and safe activity for everyone.

The low problem gambling rate is, according to the UKGC study, not because operators are taking preventative measures, but because of the regulator’s efforts to better control the sector. It is no wonder they are making great efforts to guarantee that the sector is being regulated adequately to safeguard players.

However, it will not be surprising that this may be surprising or disappointing for some people. According to Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) CEO Michael Dugher, these numbers demonstrating that problem gambling has reduced once again will come as a terrible disappointment to anti-gambling prohibitionists, who tend to massively overstate the issue.

Good News for the Industry

Although there was no discernible rise in problem gambling, the statistics did show a notable increase in gaming activity. Over half of the UK’s adult population bets on something every month, the BGC said. That’s 22.5 million people. This may include doing anything from buying a lottery ticket or visiting a casino to placing a wager on a sports event.

With approximately 111,000 people employed and an estimated $8.57 billion generated annually, the gambling business in the United Kingdom is a major force in the country’s economy. The UKGC reports that despite a 17% rise in wagers and a 3 million increase in registered accounts, gaming income declined by 8%.

That said, it is an exciting time for the UK gambling industry, with low problem gambling rates and continued growth despite challenging economic conditions. Still, there will be more developments amongst relevant parties especially as the UK government prepares to impose major gambling regulations through a new white paper.