UKGC Data Shows Gambling Participation Is Dropping
New data released as part of the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB) shows online betting activity is still rising despite participation dropping overall.
Online betting activity is up in the UK, according to new data. © Priscilla Du Preez , Unsplash
Key Facts:
- 5,000 adults were polled between September and January
- Overall participation in any gambling activity was 46%
- Next GSGB statistics release is due on 16 October 2025
- The latest GSGB research was conducted by NatCen
UK regulator, the Gambling Commission (UKGC), canvassed more than 5,000 adults from the period of September 2024 to January 2025.
The subsequent release of GSGB data found that overall participation in any gambling activity during the period was 46%, down slightly from the figure of 49% in the previous data.
Participation in lottery draws decreased from 37% to 34% in the same period.
Excluding those respondents who only participated in a lottery draw from the overall gambling participation rate meant participation dropped to 28%, which UKGC said was stable in 2024.
It has been a busy week for the Gambling Commission, which has also welcomed a set of GSGB improvement suggestions from the Office for Statistics Regulation in its latest compliance review.
Online Lottery Tickets
Online activity continues to rise, according to the GSGB, with almost a quarter (23%) of the respondents confirming that they had been buying tickets for a National Lottery draw online.
Tickets for other charity lottery draws online were also popular, with 13% of GSGB respondents buying them, while just 9% of those taking part in the study said they had been betting on sports online or via an app.
In a statement, UKGC gave an insight into the methodology that was used within the GSGB.
It said: “The GSGB, like most other surveys, collects information from a sample of the population.”
“Statistics based on surveys are estimates, rather than precise figures, and are subject to a margin of error (a 95% confidence interval).”
Gambling Gender Split
Among the interesting findings in the latest release of gambling participation statistics in the GSGB was that men continue to gamble more than women.
UKGC data shows that overall gambling participation is highest for males aged 35 to 64.
However, taking away those people who only gamble by purchasing lottery tickets on the internet changes things dramatically.
The GSGB found that this amendment to the data means that males aged 18 to 24 have the highest gambling participation rates during the period covered, at 47%.
When using the internet, 23% of males reported gambling compared to 11% of females.
In the GSGB data, 17% of men said they took part in betting – with 14% of them doing so online – compared to just 4% of women.
UKGC said that gambling ‘for the chance to win big money and ‘because it’s fun’ are still ranked as the most popular reasons why GSGB respondents choose to gamble.
