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Compliance Updates

Guidance on using statistics from the Gambling Survey for Great Britain

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The guidance set out here is designed to help anyone who wishes to use data from the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB) to ensure it is reported correctly, this could include policy makers, academics, the gambling industry, the media, members of the public and any other interested users. It is produced in accordance with the Code of Practice for Statistics, Value 3.4 Clarity and Insight.

We have published this guidance because the official statistics from the GSGB are new and they are collected using a different methodology than previous official statistics. The guidance takes on board the recommendations from Professor Sturgis’s independent review of the GSGB and his analysis of the impact of the change in methodology.

We are aware that official statistics on gambling have previously been used in ways that they were not intended and, in some cases, the data was misused. Therefore it is important that users understand how the new official statistics from the GSGB can be used, what they should not be used for and where some caution should be applied. There are slightly different approaches for statistics relating to gambling participation and the consequences of gambling because of the smaller base sizes and greater margins of error for the statistics relating to the consequences of gambling.

Gambling participation

The GSGB can be used:

  • to look at patterns within the data amongst different demographic groups
  • to assess future trends and changes in gambling participation, measuring changes against the 2024 baseline
  • to compare patterns in gambling participation for England, Scotland and Wales and regionally where sample sizes allow.

The GSGB can be used with some caution (until further work is completed):

  • to provide estimates of gambling participation amongst adults (aged 18 and over) in Great Britain
  • to gross up gambling participation estimates for the whole population.

The GSGB should not be used to provide direct comparisons with results from prior gambling or health surveys.

Consequences of gambling

The GSGB can be used:

  • to look at patterns within the data amongst different demographic groups
  • to assess future trends and changes in consequences of gambling, measuring changes against the 2024 baseline
  • to compare patterns in consequences of gambling for England, Scotland and Wales and regionally where sample sizes allow
  • to describe the range of consequences that someone may experience as a result of someone’s own gambling and as a result of someone else’s gambling.

The GSGB can be used with some caution (until further work is completed):

  • to provide estimates of Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) scores amongst adults (aged 18 and over) in Great Britain
  • to provide estimates of the prevalence of consequences of gambling amongst adults (aged 18 and over) in Great Britain.

The GSGB should not be used:

  • to provide direct comparisons with results from prior gambling or health surveys
  • as a measure of addiction to gambling
  • to calculate an overall rate of gambling-related harm in Great Britain
  • to gross up the prevalence of problem gambling or the consequences of gambling to whole population (until further work is completed).

Comparability with previous surveys

Direct comparisons between the GSGB and previous surveys should not be used to assess trends over time

Due to differences in the way data for the GSGB is collected in comparison to prior gambling or health surveys, the GSGB is not directly comparable with results from previous surveys and direct comparisons should not be used to assess trends over time.

That said, some limited comparisons are useful to assess differences between study methodologies. All surveys are subject to a range of potential biases which may affect results. The GSGB, the prior health surveys and gambling surveys are no different.

The changes that have been made to the GSGB are outlined in the following table and include:

  • collection mode
  • questionnaire content
  • age coverage.
Differences between the GSGB and previous surveys used to collect official statistics related to gambling
Factor Gambling Survey for Great Britain Health Survey for England (HSE) Quarterly Telephone Survey
Collection mode Self completion: Push-to-web survey with paper-based alternative Interviewer led with self completion elements: Face-to-face (gambling questions asked in a self completion module but with interviewer and other household members present) Interviewer led: Telephone
Questionnaire content Gambling Health Gambling
Age coverage Adults aged 18 and over Adults aged 16 and over Adults aged 16 and over
Sample size 10,000 (Year 1)
20,000 (Year 2 onwards)
7,100 (HSE 2018) 4,000 per annum
Response rate 19% (Year 1) 59% (HSE 2018)
36% (HSE 2022)
Data currently unavailable
Geographic breakdown England, Wales and Scotland England England, Wales and Scotland

The annual GSGB report will be published 25 July 2024 and will represent the first year of a new baseline, against which future annual data from the GSGB can be compared. Smaller and more frequent publications will be available on a quarterly basis based on the data collected in the previous wave only. These ‘wave specific’ publications can be used to compare wave on wave trends throughout the year.

Impact of new methodology

There is a risk that the GSGB may overstate some gambling behaviours and therefore estimates should be used with some caution.

Further investigation of the possible reasons for this is needed to better quantify the scale and direction of impact upon the GSGB estimates and until this is completed, the statistics relating to the prevalence of problem gambling or the consequences of gambling should not be grossed up to whole population.

Whilst the move to a push-to-web survey was endorsed by Professor Patrick Sturgis in his independent review of the GSGB methodological approach and will enable to better detection and understanding of patterns and trends in gambling behaviour, he also urges due caution with the new statistics, “being mindful of the fact that there is a non-negligible risk that they substantially over state the true level of gambling and gambling harm in the population”.

There are several potential reasons for this increase in PGSI estimates as outlined by Sturgis in his review. This may relate to the lower response rates that the push-to-web design achieves. People who gamble, and those who gamble more heavily, may be more likely to complete the GSGB than those who do not gamble. As PSGI scores are higher for those with more gambling engagement, a lower response rate, potentially over representing those who gamble, would serve to increase reported PGSI scores.

Alternatively, prior surveys may have under-estimated PGSI scores and/or underestimated online gambling behaviours as a result of socially desirable responding. Sturgis noted that “there [were] good grounds to suggest the presence of an interviewer (as used by the [British Gambling Prevalence Survey (BGPS)] BGPS and [Health Survey] HS series) induces a downward bias on estimates of the prevalence of gambling harm”.

It may also be that PGSI scores have actually increased in the population over time. Online gambling is strongly associated with elevated PGSI scores and gross gambling yield from online gambling has increased substantially since 2018. These changes in the gambling market could affect the PSGI scores estimated in the survey. All these things could be true, either alone or in combination.

In summary, as Sturgis notes, the two studies which have investigated possible factors for these changes in estimates were unable to come to a definitive estimate about the magnitude of the errors, and therefore uncertainty remains around which estimates (the GSGB or prior studies) are closer to the truth. Further investigation of the possible reasons for this is needed to better quantify the scale and direction of impact upon the GSGB estimates and until this is completed, the statistics relating to the prevalence of problem gambling or the consequences of gambling should not be grossed up to whole population.

Be careful reporting base numbers

Correctly reference whether statistics are based on all participants, or whether they are a subset of all participants such as people who have gambled in the last 12 months or participants who completed the online version of the survey.

The GSGB asks a range of questions some of which are applicable to all participants and some which are only applicable to people who have gambled.

Care should be taken when reporting statistics, particularly those relating to the PGSI to make sure you are correctly stating if the results are based on the views of all participants, or if they are based on people who have gambled. This is an area where we have previously seen misreporting.

This distinction is important as the first group includes people who have not gambled on any activity in the past year whereas the second group is based only on people who have gambled in the 12 months. In the report we have also included a third group which excludes people who have only taken part in lottery draws. This is because lotteries are so much more popular than any other form of gambling, so it can mask patterns of what’s going on with other types of gambling. For this reason, in the report we sometimes present findings excluding the people who have only taken part in a lottery draw and not taken part in any other type of gambling.

Through our stakeholder engagement we know that stakeholders are interested in multiple ways of presenting the data, for example at a population level including people who do not gamble and based on people who have gambled.

It is also worth noting that new questions in the GSGB about the wider consequences of gambling are all presented as a proportion of participants who have gambled in the past 12 months or as a proportion of participants who know someone close to them who gambles, so should be reported in this way. This is an example of how you should report the data:

“Of those who know someone close to them who gambles, x percent had experienced relationship breakdown because of someone else’s gambling.”

To ensure we can include all of the relevant content within the GSGB, core questions are asked on both the online and paper version of the survey whereas some topical or modular questions are only asked on the online version of the survey. The Commission will clearly label any statistics which are based on online responses only, and users should do the same.

Survey estimates

All surveys produce estimates rather than precise figures, users should be aware of confidence intervals.

The GSGB, in common with other surveys, collects information from a sample of the population. Consequently, statistics based on the survey are estimates, rather than precise figures, and are subject to a margin of error, also known as a 95 percent confidence interval. It would be expected that the true value of the statistic in the population would be within the range given by the 95 percent confidence interval in 95 cases out of 100. Confidence intervals are affected by the size of the sample on which the estimate is based. Generally, the larger the sample, the smaller the confidence interval, which results in a more precise estimate.

Confidence intervals should be taken into consideration by users, this is particularly true for PGSI estimates where base sizes can be small. We have provided confidence intervals for PGSI estimates within the data tables. Where differences are commented on in the annual report, these reflect the same degree of certainty that these differences are real, and not just within the margins of sampling error. These differences can be described as statistically significant.

Annual versus wave specific data

In a typical year there will be four wave specific publications from the GSGB plus an annual publication. Where possible, the annual data should be used as the priority with wave specific data being used when you want to look at patterns of gambling participation within a year, or where modular questions have only been asked in certain waves.

The GSGB collects data continuously throughout the year. Survey data will be available:

  • on a quarterly basis via wave specific publications
  • annually where data for the calendar year will be combined to provide a more detailed breakdown.

Annual datasets will be published to UK Data Service (opens new tab).

We recommend using annual data as the default as this will be based on a large sample size (10,000 in Year 1 and 20,000 from Year 2 onwards) and will allow for more analysis at sub population level. This is also how we will track trends over time. Annual publications will include findings on the consequences of gambling.

Wave specific data should be used if you need data for a specific time period, and to track trends or patterns within a calendar year. These publications will focus predominately on participation in gambling in that time period.

Language

Use a person centric approach when reporting statistics about gambling.

Do not stigmatise or victimise those people experiencing adverse consequences from gambling.

Do not describe PGSI as a measure of gambling addiction.

The language we use matters. People who gamble are defined by more than their actions when they gamble. That is why we recommend a “person-centric” or “person first” approach. Whilst taking this new approach may use more words, it is important in lowering stigma and barriers to people seeking help for gambling addiction.

For example, instead of writing “x percent of gamblers…”, you can write “x percent of people who gamble…”.

The Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) consists of nine questions which measure both behavioural symptoms of gambling disorder and certain adverse consequences from gambling. The PGSI should not be confused with a measure of gambling addiction. More information on how the PGSI is measured can be found here.

Wider evidence base

The GSGB is one source of data in the Commission’s wider evidence base.

The Gambling Commission uses a range of data, research and insights to inform the decisions that we make and provide advice to the Government about gambling behaviour and the gambling market. To be the most effective regulator possible, we require a robust evidence base. The GSGB forms one source of evidence for our evidence base and should be considered alongside a wealth of other evidence and information which we use to fill our evidence gaps and priorities 2023 to 2026.

If statistics are used incorrectly

We encourage people to use our statistics to support understanding of important issues related to gambling.

We expect that anyone using our official statistics should present the data accurately and in accordance with the guidelines presented here. This includes ensuring that the data is not taken out of context, manipulated, or presented in a way that could materially mislead others.

The post Guidance on using statistics from the Gambling Survey for Great Britain appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Compliance Updates

BGC Represents Betting and Gaming Sector at Shadow DCMS Roundtable

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Standards body the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has represented the regulated betting and gaming sector at a shadow DCMS roundtable held on Tuesday.

The roundtable, titled: Future of the Gambling Industry in the United Kingdom, drew industry leaders together to explore key issues including responsible gambling, regulatory developments and the future of the sector.

CEO Grainne Hurst represented the BGC at the summit, hosted by Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Stuart Andrew MP and Shadow Minister for Gambling Louie French MP inside the House of Common’s Shadow Cabinet Room.

BGC CEO Grainne Hurst said: “It was fantastic to sit down alongside our members and other stakeholders from across our diverse sector to thrash out the challenges and opportunities facing the sector today with the shadow DCMS team.

“We are incredibly fortunate to have Stuart Andrew and Louie French, two dedicated MPs who understand this industry, and are keen to ensure the Opposition are completely across the key pressures facing our members, their millions of customers, and thousands of employees.

“Collaboration is key for the BGC, and we welcome this positive engagement with the shadow DCMS team.”

The roundtable also focussed on balancing economic growth with consumer protections and social responsibility.

Following welcome remarks, the summit heard industry’s perspectives on current challenges and future opportunities plus ways in which the Opposition can support future policy.

Grainne attended alongside representatives from BGC members, Flutter, Entain, Evoke, bet365, Bally’s, The Rank Group, Star Sports and the Hippodrome Casino, plus the UK Tote Group, National Lottery, BACTA and the Gambling Business Group.

BGC members support 109,000 jobs, generate £6.8bn for the economy while raising £4bn in taxes.

They also help fund horseracing to the tune of £350m a year through sponsorship, media rights and the levy, provide £40m for the English Football League and its clubs and millions more for rugby league, darts and snooker.

Each month in Britain around 22.5m adults have a bet and the most recent NHS Health Survey for England estimated that 0.4% of the adult population are problem gamblers.

The post BGC Represents Betting and Gaming Sector at Shadow DCMS Roundtable appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Compliance Updates

Allwyn Secures WLA and EL Responsible Gaming Certifications

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Allwyn UK, operator of The National Lottery, has announced that it has secured the European Lotteries (EL) Responsible Gaming Certification, as well as Level 4 of the World Lottery Association’s (WLA) Responsible Gaming Framework – the highest possible level.

The responsible gaming accreditations from these leading industry bodies help ensure that members of these organisations – like Allwyn and other lottery operators worldwide – operate their licensed lotteries with the highest standards of player protection and safety. They also reflect how successfully a lottery has implemented responsible play into its day-to-day operations.

These industry-standard certifications demonstrate Allwyn’s firm commitment to participant protection – with a continuous programme of work to prevent underage and excessive play from the outset.

Allwyn’s CEO, Andria Vidler, said: “Just over a year on from taking over as The National Lottery operator, we’re delighted to announce that we’ve achieved these important EL and WLA Responsible Gaming Certifications.

“National Lottery games are specially designed to be safe and secure, ensuring they don’t appeal to underage or vulnerable players. However, with over 30 million people routinely playing National Lottery games – raising over £30 million a week for Good Causes in the process – it’s crucial that we continue to do everything we can to prevent underage and excessive play.

“So, it’s great to have this external recognition of what we’ve achieved so far, but we also know that our work in this area is never finished. We plan to continue working hard on our responsible play credentials and driving up our own high standards, keeping National Lottery players at the heart of everything we do.”

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Blitzcrown Secures GLI Certification for Three Crash Games in Brazil

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Breaking New Ground in Brazil: Blitzcrown’s Crash Games Now GLI Certified

Blitzcrown, MVG’s pioneering games studio, has secured Brazilian Certification as well as GLI-19 Certification from GLI(Gaming Laboratories International) for its industry-changing three Crash titles. This landmark achievement marks a significant milestone in the company’s expansion into Brazil’s thriving online gaming market, positioning Blitzcrown at the forefront of the region’s rapidly evolving iGaming landscape.

The license comes at an important time for Brazil’s gaming sector, following the launch of the new licensing regime that started on January 1, 2025. The regulatory framework, signed into law in December 2023, has transformed the industry’s prospects.

The certification encompasses 3 innovative crash games: Crash, Fast Crash, and Twin Crash. This strategic milestone establishes Blitzcrown as the premier provider of certified Crash games in the Brazilian market, demonstrating the company’s unwavering commitment to regulatory excellence and gaming integrity. With the GLI-19 and Brazil certification process successfully concluded in March, Blitzcrown has solidified its position as an industry pioneer in this dynamic and emerging market.

Crash games are a recent addition to the global iGaming market, featuring the dynamic evolution of real-time multipliers and immediate reward structures. Blitzcrown has stood out by establishing groundbreaking game mechanisms that offer different and exciting gameplay experiences. Standard Crash provides players with a standard multiplier-based gaming experience, and Fast Crash is optimized for users seeking quick, intense multiplier experiences. The Twin Crash is an original format allowing players to place simultaneous bets on two separate multipliers.

Building on this momentum, Blitzcrown has announced plans to expand its certified portfolio with two additional versions of its innovative Plinko games, demonstrating the company’s strategic commitment to market expansion. This forward-looking initiative underscores Blitzcrown’s dedication to continuous innovation and sustainable growth in the regulated gaming markets.

Blitzcrown is MVG’s edge-game studio focused on pushing game ideas beyond their norms through innovative and non-traditional gaming experiences. The studio has been particularly recognized for its groundbreaking approaches in various game categories, including its successful Crash and Plinko series.

George Cho from MVG said: “This GLI certification testifies to Blitzcrown’s unwavering commitment to offering top-quality, fair gaming systems. We are well placed to take advantage of Brazil’s exciting new regulatory environment and the vast growth potential of the online gaming industry.”

The post Blitzcrown Secures GLI Certification for Three Crash Games in Brazil appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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