The UK Gaming Authority announced in its September 2021 study that problematic gaming rates have decreased considerably to 0.3%. This is a major improvement from the previous year’s study, which found that 0.6% of individuals were problematic gamers.
The study, conducted via telephone, included over 4,000 participants. According to the Problematic Gaming Severity Index, 0.3% of those surveyed were categorized as problematic gamers. This represents a substantial decline from the 0.4% recorded in the June 2021 study.
The report also discovered that problematic gaming rates among men have also decreased significantly, from 0.8% to 0.3%. This is a positive trend, as men are more likely to be problematic gamers than women.
The percentage of individuals at moderate risk of gaming has also decreased significantly to 0.7% compared to the previous year. This is encouraging news, as it indicates that fewer people are at risk of developing a gaming problem.
The percentage of individuals at low risk is lower than in 2020, but the difference is within the margin of error. This means that the change is not statistically significant.
Overall, the percentage of individuals at risk is 2.9%, compared to 4.0% a year ago. This is a substantial decrease, and it demonstrates that the UK is making progress in reducing problematic gaming.
The problematic gaming rate and the overall percentage of individuals at any risk level are the lowest recorded by the Gaming Authority since 2016. This is a positive sign, and it suggests that the UK’s efforts to reduce problematic gaming are successful.
The head of the UK Gambling Commission, Michael Dugher, declared that the decrease in gambling activity signaled the organization’s effectiveness.
“Since our establishment in 2019, we have been dedicated to elevating standards within the regulated gambling sector and promoting responsible gambling practices,” he stated. “The actions we have taken encompass utilizing advertising to promote safer gambling tools, such as deposit restrictions and time-outs, augmenting investment in research and treatment, financing educational programs offered by GamCare and YGAM, enacting a credit card prohibition, introducing stringent new regulations for VIP programs, modifying game design, and employing technology to intervene with online patrons.
“Despite these efforts, there remains an excessive number of individuals struggling with gambling issues, but we are resolute in sustaining this progress in the forthcoming months and years.
Dugher also asserted that the findings indicated the continued viability of evidence-based harm reduction strategies over more drastic measures.
“There are invariably those within the anti-gambling movement who advocate for a prohibitionist approach,” he remarked. “However, the government has justifiably and consistently affirmed its commitment to an ‘evidence-based’ approach to gambling review. We must persist in our endeavors to provide enhanced safeguards for the limited number of individuals susceptible to problem gambling, while acknowledging that the vast majority of the millions who partake in wagering do so securely and responsibly.
We are making strides in addressing problem gambling and urging authorities to elevate safe gambling criteria. It’s vital that we refrain from taking any actions that could potentially drive individuals towards unregulated online black markets, where there are no safeguards or safe gambling interventions like those found with licensed operators.
While overall gambling participation levels have remained steady, the rate of gambling harm has declined. Forty-two percent of respondents reported engaging in gambling during the four weeks preceding the survey. However, this figure is still notably lower than the forty-six point seven percent recorded in 2019.
Among those who partake in gambling, a greater number are reporting that they gamble less often. Eighteen percent of gamblers reported gambling less than once a month.
Excluding the National Lottery, twenty-eight point three percent of individuals reported gambling in the past four weeks.
Meanwhile, the popularity of online gambling is on the ascent, with twenty-five percent of individuals reporting that they gamble online, a new peak. Excluding the National Lottery, this figure stands at seventeen point seven percent. Conversely, offline gambling levels have plummeted from twenty-eight point six percent to twenty-three point nine percent, significantly lower than the thirty-four point nine percent observed before the pandemic.
The National Lottery remains the most favored gambling product, with twenty-six point five percent of the population participating. Meanwhile, seven point eight percent of individuals play scratch cards and twelve point eight percent play other lottery games.
Participation in bingo, football pools, and gaming machines in betting shops (such as fixed-odds betting terminals) has all experienced statistically significant decreases.
Moreover, three…
A tiny fraction of individuals, approximately 4%, reported finding pleasure in playing slot machines. In contrast, a slightly larger proportion, 5.6%, indicated a preference for wagering on sporting events.
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