STATISTICS

HERE’S WHAT WE KNOW

These are some of the most significant facts and figures relating to gambling, and gambling disorder.

The following information is courtesy of Dan Waugh at Regulus Partners.

A little over half of the adult population [1] in England and Wales gamble at least once a year.
The National Lottery is the most popular form of gambling, played by approximately 1 in 3 adults.
Around 1 in 10 adults gamble online (excluding the National Lottery online).
Annual expenditure on gambling in 2019 was around £15bn (or £12bn excluding the National Lottery).
Mean gambling expenditure per adult is around £350 per year — relatively modest by international standards, and below Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada, Norway, Finland, Italy and Spain.
Britain’s gambling industry employs around 100,000 people directly and supports wider employment through its supply chain.
Most gambling activities are licensed and regulated by the Gambling Commission.

[1] Defined as those aged 16 and older

Problem gambling has been defined by the Royal College of Psychiatrists as “‘gambling that disrupts or damages personal, family or recreational pursuits”.
In Great Britain, it is estimated that around 0.5% of the adult population (or around 1% of people who gamble) are likely to be ‘problem gamblers’ – that’s around 290,000 people.
Of this, around half are likely to meet the diagnostic criteria for gambling disorder, a recognised psychiatric behavioural disorder
Another 1.5% of adults (or around 380,000 people) are likely to be ‘moderate risk’ gamblers.
Gambling disorder is linked with a range of financial, emotional and relationship harms — some of them severe. The relationship between gambling and harm is complex.
People with a gambling disorder often suffer from other disorders, such as alcohol use disorder or substance use disorder.
Family members, friends and employers may also be harmed as a result of problem gambling and gambling disorder.
It’s also estimated that around 1.5% of adults who gamble (approx. 380,000) may be classified as ‘moderate risk’ gamblers.
Individuals may move in and out of phases of problematic or harmful gambling.
Young adults are considered to be at particular risk of being classified as ‘problem gamblers’.