The level of problem gambling in the U.K. has stabilized at 0.2 percent of the population, according to a quarterly survey by the U.K. Gambling Commission.
The survey sampled about 4,000 respondents in phone interviews using the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI). Problem gambling among men surveyed was 0.3 percent and 0.1 percent among women. The figure was 0.8 percent for those from 16-24 years old, 0.3 percent for 25-34 years old and 0.2 percent for 35-44 year-olds. No one from the 45-54 age group that took the survey was classed as problem gamblers and for 55-64 years old the total was 0.2 percent. For those 65 and older the percentage was 0.1.
In a separate but related development, Gamstop, a free service that helps players put controls on their gambling activities, surpassed 300,000 enrollments in the first half of 2022. During that period 43,500 signed up to self-exclude.
That was a 9 percent increase over the year before. Fifty-eight percent of new registrations were under 35, and 30 percent of total registrants are women.
Gamstop CEO Fiona Palmer commented, “Our most recent data suggests gambling-related harm remains a serious problem and it is widely accepted that action is needed to protect those most at risk.” She added, “We are now recording an average of more than 7,000 new registrants each month, which is almost a double-digit increase year-on-year.”
