New UK research reveals the true extent of gambling harm

Lea Hogg July 26, 2024

A report by The Guardian this week highlights the alarming scale of harm caused by gambling in the UK, revealing that it may be eight times higher than previously estimated. The largest survey of its kind, conducted by the National Centre for Social Research and the University of Glasgow, found that an estimated 2.5 percent of British adults have struggled with problem gambling. This equates to approximately 1.3 million people, although the authors caution that this figure could be an overestimate.

***Source: SiGMA Data relating to Problem Gambling in the UK***

The Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB) used a sample of nearly 10,000 people to assess the impact of the gambling industry. Previous surveys, which relied on phone interviews, had estimated the prevalence of problem gambling at just 0.3 percent, a figure now believed to be a significant underestimate.

The latest research indicates that more than one in 40 people who gambled in the past year experienced severe harm, such as turning to crime to finance their gambling, experiencing relationship breakdowns, or losing their homes. The rates were even higher among men and young people. Among those aged 18-34 who gambled in the last 12 months, more than one in 20 reported severe impacts on their lives. Specifically, 1.9 percent of men experienced relationship breakdowns, 1.9 percent lost significant financial assets, and 1.6 percent experienced violence or abuse.

The survey also found that more than one in 10 respondents had considered suicide, with 4.9 percent attributing this to their gambling habits.

Charles Ritchie, from the charity Gambling with Lives, which supports families bereaved by gambling-related suicide reflected the gravity of the findings. He 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. The number of people that have considered or attempted to take their own lives confirms the appalling scale of suicides happening now.”

Ritchie, who founded the charity with his partner Liz after their son Jack took his own life due to gambling addiction, called for immediate legislative action. He urged the new government to implement a statutory levy on gambling industry profits to fund prevention and treatment efforts and to restrict gambling advertising.

Methodology and future research

The data for the survey was collected by inviting households to participate online, a method believed to reduce the stigma associated with gambling and encourage more honest responses. The survey will be conducted annually to track trends over time.

The findings have been independently reviewed and endorsed by a professor from the London School of Economics, who described the survey as “exemplary in all respects.”

The Guardian report also highlighted that slot machines and online slots are particularly associated with problem gambling. Problem gambling scores were calculated based on responses to nine questions, such as whether individuals bet more than they could afford to lose and whether gambling caused them health or financial problems. A score of eight or more indicates problem gambling, and the proportion of participants with such scores was more than nine times higher for those who had engaged in betting on non-sports events.