NEWS UPDATE CW

BGC statement on GSGB publication


A spokesperson for the Betting and Gaming Council, said:“The methodology used in this survey is different to those previously conducted into betting and gaming.

“As a result, the Gambling Commission has been clear, GSGB should not be used to make direct comparisons with results from prior surveys, as a measure of addiction, or to gross up problem gambling prevalence to the whole population.

“Our members are concerned these findings may be unreliable because there is a significant risk GSGB overstates gambling participation and gambling related harm.

“Surveys using predominantly online self-completion consistently produce higher estimates of gambling participation and associated harms, compared to established alternative survey methods.

“The BGC and our members are committed to raising standards and we welcome any robust study that accurately gauges betting and gaming participation and problem gambling prevalence.

“This commitment is backed by record funding, with BGC members voluntarily donating over £170m over the past four years to independent Research, Prevention and Treatment services to tackle problem gambling and gambling related harm.

“Each month around 22.5 million people in Britain enjoy a bet and the overwhelming majority do so safely and responsibly.

“The most recent NHS Health Survey for England estimated that 0.4 per cent of the adult population are problem gamblers.”

NOTE TO EDITORS:

The most recent NHS Health Survey for England, published in May, 2023, estimated that 0.4 per cent of the adult population are problem gamblers. Problem gambling and gambling addiction are different. The terms should not be conflated.

BGC members and licensed operators have donated £172.5m over the last four years towards Research, Prevention and Treatment to tackle problem gambling and gambling related harm.

An independent review of GSGB by Professor Patrick Sturgis, Professor of Quantitative Social Science from LSE’s Department of Methodology, said policy-makers should treat the figures with caution, because there is a “non-negligible risk that they substantially over-state the true level of gambling and gambling harm in the population”.

The Gambling Commission has released guidance on the proper use of GSGB statistics. You can read the guidance here.

The previous Government announced the biggest change in regulations for the betting and gaming sector in a generation, with the publication of the White Paper in April 2023.

Policy decisions from that White Paper will strengthen the already high standards in the regulated sector, ensuring customers continue to enjoy a safe and positive experience with BGC members.

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