Figures released by the UK Gambling Commission on their annual report on gambling participation showed a slight decrease in players categorized as problem gamblers.
The report found that 0.5 percent of people are classed as problem gamblers, based on the Problem Gambling Severity Index. The report is based on a survey of 4,009 individuals in England, Scotland and Wales. That represents a 0.1 percentage point decrease from 2017.
The survey found a higher rate of problem gambling among male respondents, with 1 percent of males surveyed classed as having a problem. Female respondents reported a 0.1 percent rate.
By age, respondents between 35 and 44 years old had the highest rate at 1.1 percent. The survey said problem gambling among those aged from 25 to 34 was at 0.9 percent, down from 1.2 percent in 2017. Problem gambling rates among 16 to 24-year-olds also dropped, down from 1 percent in 2017 to 0.9 percent.
