British gambling participation holds steady, according to latest survey
The latest wave of the Gambling Survey for Great Britain shows a slight rise in the proportion of non-lottery gaming compared to overall gambling participation.
UK.- Overall gambling participation in Britain has remained mainly unchanged compared to last year. That’s according to the Gambling Commission’s latest Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB), which collated responses from 4,750 adults.
In the second wave of this year’s survey, run between April y and July 20, some 47 per cent reported gambling at least once in the previous four weeks. That’s a drop of just 1 percentage point from 48 per cent during he same period in 2024 and in this year’s Wave One survey conducted between January 13 and April 27.
Lotteries continued to dominate as the nation’s favourite form of play, with around one in five participants only engaging in lottery draws, either the National Lottery or charity lotteries. When these players are excluded, the overall gambling participation rate stood at 28 per cent, up form 27 per cent in both comparable periods.
After lottery, sports betting and scratchcards tied as the next most common gambling activities, each attracting 12 per cent of respondents. Online instant win games followed at 8 per cent. The Commission refined its reporting categories for this latest wave of the survey, separating dogracing and horseracing. Reported horseracing betting participation rose from 4 per to 7 per cent, which was attributed to the presence of major events like the Grand National in the corresponding period.
Age trends and online vs. in-person play
Participation was most pronounced among those aged 55–64, with 54 per cent of this group reporting gambling activity in the four weeks prior. Yet when lottery-only players are removed, the picture shifts and the 25–44 age group emerges as the most active, with 36 per cent gambling, of whom 43 per cent were men.
Online gambling participation remained flat from the previous survey at 38 per cent. Excluding lottery-only players, the figure was 17 per cent, again mirroring last year’s results. Digital National Lottery tickets were the most popular online product, purchased by 25 per cent of adults. Other lottery draws attracted 15 per cent, while online sports and racing betting reached 10 per cent.
In-person gambling participation stood at 28 per cent, dropping to 18 per cent when lottery-only players were excluded. National Lottery tickets led the way at 15 per cent, followed by scratchcards (12 per cent), charity lottery draws (6 per cent), sports betting (4 per cent), and bingo (3 per cent).
When asked why they gamble, respondents most often cited the “chance to win big money” and “because it’s fun.” The Commission noted that the fun factor was particularly significant among younger adults aged 18–24.
Next year’s editions of the Gambling Survey for Great Britain is likely to draw particular interest as stakeholders examine what impact the UK gambling tax rise may have on participation. The rate of Remote Gaming Tax for online casino gaming will rise to 40 per cent from April.
