The Gambling Commission (GC) has faced criticism for publishing data with the “knowledge that the results are inaccurate” after releasing its 2025 Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB).
The regulator’s survey, which involved 20,000 respondents and was conducted by the National Centre for Social Research and the University of Glasgow, was published on Thursday, 13 July.
The GSGB is now in its third year, with the GC stating it provides the “most comprehensive picture currently available of consumers’ views of their gambling”.
Headline participation rates remained stable against 2024, with 47% of respondents having gambled within the past four weeks, though the figure falls to 27% when lottery draw-only players are excluded.
The percentage of respondents with a Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) of eight or above, which gauges problem gambling, was 2.4%.
While down from the 2.7% reported in 2024, the percentage remains significantly higher than the 0.4% cited in the NHS’ Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey in 2023-24, but the GC insisted the two surveys should not be compared.
A note on the GSGB publication reads: “While the wider evidence landscape remains important, direct comparisons between GSGB and surveys using different methodologies are not appropriate.
“The correct comparison is between successive waves of GSGB, which now provide three-years of consistent, comparable trend data.”
Hopelessly inaccurate
In a Substack post, Regulus Partners’ Dan Waugh argued the GC “crosses a line” in publishing the GSGB.
He also penned an op-ed in the Racing Post, in which he alleged the GSGB data was “hopelessly inaccurate”.
On his Substack, Waugh wrote: “First published in 2024, the GSGB reports substantially higher rates of ‘problem gambling’ (as measured by the Problem Gambling Severity Index or ‘PGSI’) than all other sources of official statistics, stretching back almost two decades.
“These include the ‘gold standard’ NHS Health Survey for England, the NHS Scottish Health Survey, the NHS Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey and the British Gambling Prevalence Survey.”
Waugh claimed the GSGB both overestimates participation and prevalence, and cited evidence the survey had previously overestimated participation in land-based casino gaming, exchange betting and the Football Pools.
Waugh continued: “The Gambling Commission has expressed confidence that GSGB over-reporting cannot be explained by respondents misunderstanding the questions.
“This means the over-reporting can only be the consequence of skew in the survey or the existence of massive and hitherto undetected unlicensed markets for land-based casinos, exchange betting and the Football Pools.
“Under either scenario, the survey results cannot be considered reliable for understanding consumer activity in the licensed markets. This, however, is precisely how the results are used – by campaigners, by politicians and by the Commission itself.”
The GC view
Tim Miller, GC executive director for research and policy, said: “The publication of the third annual GSGB marks an important milestone.
“Three years of the GSGB provides a richer, more timely picture of the trend in gambling in Great Britain than has previously been available.
“It helps us understand not only who gambles and the products they use, but also why people gamble, the range of experiences they have and the consequences gambling can have in people’s lives.
“This evidence is a vital part of a wider evidence base that informs policy, regulation and wider public discussion.
“We encourage researchers, policymakers, industry and the wider public to make use of these findings alongside the interactive dashboard and supplementary reports.
“As with all official statistics, we remain committed to ensuring the GSGB continues to meet the highest standards through transparency, independent scrutiny and ongoing methodological improvement.”
In response to Waugh’s concerns, a GC spokesperson said: “These claims are nonsense. Throughout the development of the GSGB we have published detailed technical information, been open about the survey’s strengths and limitations and engaged extensively with stakeholders and independent experts.
“The survey methodology has evolved through pilot and experimental phases before becoming the Commission’s designated official statistic.
“We publish comprehensive technical reports alongside the statistics and continue to review and improve the methodology as new evidence emerges. It is therefore wrong to suggest that concerns have been ignored or the data is known to be unreliable.
“The methodology has been independently scrutinised and provides an important source of evidence for understanding gambling behaviour in Great Britain.
“The GSGB is now the Commission’s designated official statistic. It is based on responses from around 20,000 adults each year and has been independently reviewed by Professor Patrick Sturgis [professor at the London School of Economics (LSE)], who concluded that moving to this methodology was the correct decision given the changing survey landscape.”
In response, Waugh added: “It is incorrect to describe the claims as nonsense. The GC has known for nine months that GSGB estimates of casino gaming massively overstate participation when compared with hard data on actual participation (and for six months I think for the pools and exchange betting). This means that the GSGB cannot be considered a reliable source of data for participation in these activities with licensed operators.”
The post Gambling Survey for Great Britain 2025 published amid criticism over stats first appeared on EGR Intel.
Gambling Commission says the survey, which suggests 2.4% of bettors are problem gamblers, is the “most comprehensive picture currently available” but Regulus Partners’ Dan Waugh insists data “cannot be considered reliable”
The post Gambling Survey for Great Britain 2025 published amid criticism over stats first appeared on EGR Intel.