Gambling Commission Releases Third Annual Report from National Survey on British Gambling Habits

The Gambling Commission has issued the third annual report drawn from the Gambling Survey for Great Britain, presenting three straight years of official statistics that track participation, behaviors, attitudes, and consequences across the adult population. Released in 2025, the document covers data collected from 2023 through 2025 and shows headline participation holding steady at 47 percent of adults aged 18 and over who reported any form of gambling in the past four weeks, while the figure drops to 27 percent when lottery-only players are removed from the calculation. Problem gambling rates measured by a PGSI score of 8 or higher also remained stable at 2.4 percent across the period.

Key Participation Figures Across Three Years

Researchers at the National Centre for Social Research, working in partnership with the University of Glasgow, gathered responses from roughly 20,000 adults each year to build the dataset. The consistent sample size allows direct year-on-year comparison, and the latest release confirms that overall engagement levels have shown little movement since the survey series began. Those who have examined the figures note that lottery draws continue to account for a substantial share of reported activity, which explains the noticeable gap between the two headline participation rates. When the analysis narrows to other forms of gambling such as sports betting, casino games, and online slots, the proportion of adults involved sits at the lower 27 percent mark and has held that level through the three reporting cycles.

Problem Gambling Indicators Remain Unchanged

The survey employs the Problem Gambling Severity Index to classify respondents, with a score of 8 or above indicating problem gambling. Data collected across 2023, 2024, and 2025 produced the same 2.4 percent rate each year, indicating no statistically significant shift in this measure. Observers note that the stability extends to several related attitude questions, including perceptions of gambling harm and personal experiences with negative consequences. Because the same methodology and weighting procedures were applied throughout, researchers can track these indicators with greater confidence than was possible under earlier survey designs. The report presents these outcomes as official statistics, making them the primary reference point for policy discussions and regulatory monitoring in Great Britain.

Survey Design and Data Collection Process

The Gambling Survey for Great Britain uses a large-scale, probability-based approach that draws respondents from across England, Scotland, and Wales. Fieldwork occurs continuously throughout each calendar year, which smooths out seasonal fluctuations and produces a representative picture of adult behavior. Questions cover frequency of play, preferred products, spending patterns, and any difficulties experienced as a result of gambling. The partnership between the National Centre for Social Research and the University of Glasgow brings together expertise in survey methodology and statistical analysis, ensuring that published tables and commentary meet the standards required for official statistics designation. Those who rely on the data for planning or research receive access to detailed breakdowns by age, gender, region, and gambling type, all of which appear in the full annual report available on the Gambling Commission website.

Context Within Broader Regulatory Monitoring

The third annual release arrives at a time when the Gambling Commission continues to use the survey as its central source for population-level evidence. Because three consecutive years of comparable data now exist, analysts can begin to identify longer-term patterns rather than relying on single-year snapshots. The stable participation and problem gambling rates documented in the 2025 report therefore serve as a baseline against which future waves will be measured. The survey also collects information on attitudes toward regulation and industry practices, providing additional context for any policy adjustments that may follow. Links to the full dataset and accompanying technical documentation allow independent researchers to replicate or extend the analysis as needed.

Conclusion

The publication of the 2025 annual report marks the completion of the first three-year cycle for the Gambling Survey for Great Britain, delivering a consistent statistical foundation on participation levels and harm indicators. With data gathered from approximately 20,000 respondents each year by the National Centre for Social Research and the University of Glasgow, the findings show 47 percent overall participation and 2.4 percent problem gambling rates holding steady. The Gambling Commission has made the detailed statistics and methodology available for further examination, supporting ongoing regulatory oversight and academic study across Great Britain.