GambleAware’s latest Annual Treatment and Support Survey 2024 suggests the number of British adults seeking help for gambling-related harm has nearly doubled since 2020.
The charity has taken the results of its YouGov survey of almost 18,000 British adults and extrapolated them to make a series of observations about gambling harm and treatment in the UK.
In its 2020 poll, the percentage of adults seeking help for gambling-related harm was 17%, which has risen to 30% in its latest survey.
The report sparked concern from GambleAware, which noted the data pointed to “gambling harm as a growing issue across the country”.
The paper quoted the Gambling Commission’s Gambling Survey of Great Britain, which showed an increase in the proportion of adults experiencing problem gambling, from 2.4% in 2020 to 3.8%.
GambleAware addressed the knock-on effects of problem gambling and the impact it also has on the people around those suffering directly. The amount of people affected by someone else’s gambling issues has risen from 6.5% in 2020 to 8.1% in 2024, according to the survey.
That percentage equates to around 4.3 million adults across Great Britain.
The survey also identified a link between prize draws offered by companies such as Omaze and McDonalds (its Monopoly game) and gambling harm.
One in four people suffering from gambling-related harm engage with prize draws, while 11% of people experience ‘problem gambling’ directly as a result of playing prize draws.
Currently, prize draws are not subject to the same form of regulation as licensed gambling outlets, though GambleAware has warned the sector shares many similarities to other forms of gambling and the risks associated with the draws are not yet as well-known.
The survey addressed the topic of gambling advertising, with 91% of respondents in support of a ban on television and video game adverts, while 90% backed the idea of a ban on social media ads.
GambleAware has called on the government to impose restrictions on gambling marketing online, an area the charity feels children and young people are most vulnerable to being exposed to such content.
There was also significant support for making it mandatory to include evidence-led health warnings on all gambling adverts, with 46% of respondents in strongly favour of the proposal.
In addition, the research explored the normalisation of gambling in Great Britain, with 57% of those surveyed agreeing with the statement that ‘gambling in Britain is considered a normal part of everyday life’.
Some even said that because gambling is so engrained in British culture, adverts are not actually required and the industry is one that “sells itself”.
While the vast majority of people said their gambling habits had little to no impact on their financial situation, 4% admitted that gambling had worsened their financial state.
Of those suffering from gambling harm at a score of 8+ on the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), 23% disclosed their financial situation had worsened.
Though the rate of the population that has experienced any kind of problem gambling has steadily risen over time, the 2024 survey saw the largest year-on-year rise, particularly among those who fall within PGSI groups 1-2, 3-7 and 8+.
Zoë Osmond OBE, GambleAware CEO, has called for action urgently, stating: “Gambling can be highly addictive, with devastating impacts on people’s lives, relationships and financial stability. While it is encouraging that more people have sought help, this rise may also point to a growing public health crisis.
“We are increasingly alarmed by how gambling is being normalised and how frequently people – especially young people – are exposed to gambling across Great Britain.
“To reverse this troubling trend, urgent preventative action is needed. This must include tougher regulation of gambling advertising to stop gambling being portrayed as ‘harmless fun’.
“There should also be mandatory health warnings on all gambling ads, stricter controls on digital and social media marketing and a full ban on gambling promotion in stadiums and sports venues to protect children and young people from harm,” Osmond added.
The post GambleAware survey suggests demand for treatment has almost doubled since 2020 first appeared on EGR Intel.
Research, conducted by YouGov, also highlights concerns around prize draws and shows overwhelming support for more regulations on gambling adverts
The post GambleAware survey suggests demand for treatment has almost doubled since 2020 first appeared on EGR Intel.