NHS survey reveals declining UK problem gambling rates

The number of problem gamblers in the UK has dropped by 0.4 percentage points during the last three years, according to the latest data released as part of the NHS 2018 Health survey.

Individuals identified as problem gamblers under the DSM-IV and PGSI indexes have decreased from 0.9% in 2015 to 0.7% in 2016 and 0.5% in 2018.

Speaking about the survey results, Regulus Partners’ Dan Waugh said the industry should be “very pleased” with the declining numbers of problem gamblers.

However he warned that the improvement was not necessarily reflected in the industry’s reputation.

“This fits with the broader issue that as PG rates have declined, so the public health lobby has sought other ways to amplify concerns,” Waugh said. “The comments from Simon Stevens (CEO of the NHS) in the press are also worrying.”

Stevens told the Telegraphs the statistics, which also showed a decline in gambling participation, were a “stark reminder of how common gambling is in our society, and how easy it is to become addicted”.

“It is high time all these firms who spend many millions on marketing and advertising step up to the plate and take their responsibilities seriously,” said Stevens.

Waugh said the claims about ease of addiction were wholly unsupported by the data and “thoroughly dishonest”.

The percentage of individuals participating in any sort of gambling during the last 12 months fell during 2018 to 54%, which was down from 62% in the 2015 survey and 56% in the 2016 survey.

Participation figures excluding the national lottery also fell from 45% in 2015, 42% in 2016 to 40% in 2018.

As part of the study, NHS interviewers surveyed 10,250 individuals, 8,178 of those were adults (aged 16 and over) and 2,072 children (aged 0 to 15).