High stakes: gambling reform for the digital age

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Latest Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB) publications

Consequently, several data points have been revised, typically by between +/-0.1 percent and +/-1 percent. Participation in National Lottery draws significantly increased by 3 percentage points from the end of 2024, from 29 percent to 32 percent in Wave 1, 2025. Although this represents a significant change compared to the previous wave, the data for the same period in 2024 (January to April) remains consistent with findings from this publication. This begins to highlight both the wave-on-wave differences and the consistent seasonal patterns in gambling participation throughout the year.

User research

You can find more information on our Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014 page. We relied on Twitter and stakeholder consultations to build an understanding of stakeholder perspectives. It’s possible that Twitter users are not representative of the general population. It is also possible that people discussing gambling on Twitter and those who responded to the stakeholder consultation have a firmer opinion of gambling or have been affected by it in some way.

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• Multi-operator self-exclusion schemes are in place to allow consumers to self-exclude from multiple gambling premises in Great Britain.
• If you think you might have a gambling disorder, the best thing to do first is to get help.
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• This adds an extra layer of excitement to the gaming experience, encouraging players to keep spinning the reels.
• For every person who gambles at high-risk levels, an average of six others (usually non-gamblers) are affected (6).
• Mobile technology has made online casinos more accessible, allowing players to enjoy their favorite games wherever they are.
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• This collaboration ensures that the gambling environment remains safe, responsible, and enjoyable for all players.
• Gambling can be addictive, so it’s important to pause and think before you bet.
• British regulation passes through the full effect of EU anti-money laundering and terrorist financing measures.
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Those seeking to better control or cease gambling should be provided with tools to support them. These include universal pre-commitment (requiring people to set binding limits of time and money spent gambling) and self-exclusion (allowing people to ban themselves from gambling providers). Prevention is the most cost-effective strategy for minimizing gambling-related harm. Treatment for gambling disorder has a low rate of uptake, with an estimated 0.14% of the population seeking formal and informal help for current problems.

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The harder it is for you to engage in the behavior, the more time you’ll have to recognize and defuse a craving. Plan to rely on close personal connections, peers who understand what you’re going through, and professionals who can offer guidance. You may gamble until you’ve spent your last dollar, and then move on to money you don’t have—money to pay bills, credit cards, or things for your children. Blaming others is one way to avoid taking responsibility for their actions, including what is needed to overcome the problem. Gambling problems affect people of all levels of intelligence and all backgrounds. Previously responsible and strong-willed people are just as likely to develop a gambling problem as anyone else.

Player protection checks

Playing mobile casino games can be done using either a mobile-optimized browser or a dedicated app. This flexibility allows players to choose their preferred method of accessing games, whether through their phone’s web browser or a downloaded app. Online casinos operating in the UK must hold a license from the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), which ensures they operate fairly and legally. This license is a testament to the casino’s commitment to player protection and fair play. Responsible gambling UK practices empower players to manage their finances effectively, encourage self-awareness, and promote a safer gambling experience.

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For example, one player was allowed to lose £70,000 over a 10-hour period, while one customer was allowed to place a £100,000 bet immediately, even though he had a £70,000 credit limit. Unlicensed providers regularly offer unregulated gambling products, and there is an urgent need for the regulation of online gambling. For every person who gambles at high-risk levels, an average of six others (usually non-gamblers) are affected (6). This number is likely much higher in kinship cultures, including among Indigenous peoples.

Employment and educational harms

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• You can also self-exclude from other local lottery services, such as the Postcode Lottery, which you can find out more about on their websites.
• We expect that the HSE is likely to be closer to the true estimate of prevalence, but with the reliance on survey data, it may be an underestimation.
• While compulsive and problem gamblers need the support of their family and friends to help them in their struggle to stop gambling, the decision to quit has to be theirs.
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• Over half the population in the UK takes part in some form of gambling activity.
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• To enter and gamble at a casino or horse racetrack participants must be at least eighteen.
• This information was produced by the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Public Engagement Editorial Board (PEEB).

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Outdated and overly restrictive rules on gaming machines will be reformed so casinos and arcades can have more machines. We will consult on the protections needed for gaming machines to be able to accept cashless payments directly. So we are stepping in to update the law for those most at risk of harm with a new levy on gambling operators to pay for treatment and education, player protection checks and new online slots stake limits. UK online casinos provide a range of payment methods, such as debit cards (MasterCard and Visa), e-wallets (PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Skrill, Neteller), and pay by phone options (Boku, PayForIt). For those who prefer phone payments, options like Boku and PayForIt enable deposits using phone credit, though spending limits are typically set by mobile providers. It’s important to remember that credit cards are not permitted for deposits to gambling sites in the UK, in line with regulations aimed at promoting responsible gambling.

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Over £16 billion is gambled each year in the UK across a variety of platforms, with wagering available on everything from lotteries, sports betting, casino, bingo, and more. The most socio-economically deprived and disadvantaged groups in England have the lowest gambling participation rates, but the highest levels of harmful gambling and they are also the most susceptible to harm. So, if there are no interventions to improve this situation, harmful gambling is likely to make existing health inequalities worse.

Gambling Survey for Great Britain (Annual Report : Official statistics

There may also be a relationship between these other harmful activities and gambling. Compared with children who have not gambled, those who have spent their own money on gambling are more likely to have consumed alcohol, taken drugs, or smoked either a tobacco cigarette or an e-cigarette. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for gambling addiction focuses on changing unhealthy gambling behaviors and thoughts, such as rationalizations and false beliefs. It can also teach you how to fight gambling urges and solve financial, work, and relationship problems caused by problem gambling. Therapy can provide you with the tools for coping with your addiction that will last a lifetime. A report published in International Gambling Studies has shown that popular motives for why people gamble include mood change and the dream of achieving a jackpot win.

• Commercial stakeholders believe that harms are experienced by a minority of gamblers only.
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• Due to small numbers, it was not possible to determine the levels of problem gambling for each region in England with any statistical significance.
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• Non-commercial stakeholders took a broader view that harms can be experienced by any gamblers and can also be experienced indirectly by families and society.
• Often people don’t recognise that these are also a type of gambling and struggle to acknowledge that they have lost control.
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• Responsible gambling interventions are typically ineffective, particularly where the uptake of measures is optional.
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• In line with the Government’s white paper aims, these enhanced checks will only be introduced if the pilot proves they can be done in a frictionless manner, based on data-sharing.

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Again, if you use your phone or computer to gamble, now is a good time to find another activity that doesn’t involve being online. Tell gambling establishments you frequent that you have a gambling problem and ask them to restrict you from entering. Gamblers Anonymous, for example, is a 12-step recovery program patterned after Alcoholics Anonymous. A key part of the program is finding a sponsor, a former gambler who has experience remaining free from addiction and can provide you invaluable guidance and support.

Most of the studies published on gambling and harm do not allow us to determine that gambling came before the harm. We intended to draw on previous reviews as well as primary studies, but we could not identify any reviews that focused on longitudinal studies. It’s possible that there are more longitudinal studies that we did not identify through this method. With the exception of commercial stakeholders, there was consensus across different types of stakeholders that gambling is a public health issue, and it requires a public health approach. The proportion of children and young people (11 to 16) who participate in any gambling is reducing, similar to the trend in reducing participation in other risky behaviours. But participation in gambling is higher than smoking or taking drugs in this group and is higher in older children and boys.

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All surveys have strengths and limitations and we have outlined the strengths and limitations of our approach in the data analysis and reporting section of the technical report . In Spectrum Gaming’s 63-page dossier the adviser unpacks Evolution’s lacking compliance systems, while also confirming that its games had been available in prohibited markets. The gambling business has made arrangements to protect your money if they go bust. This information was produced by the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Public Engagement Editorial Board (PEEB). BingoBingo Association – The Bingo Industry Self-Exclusion Scheme allows people to self-exclude from bingo halls in the UK.

The review is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver positive change for gambling in Great Britain and for all people impacted by it. Everyone at the Commission welcomes today’s publication of the White Paper and is determined to work with government and partners to make these changes a reality. It has made gambling easier, quicker and often more fun, but when things go wrong it can see people lose thousands of pounds in a few swipes of the screen. Most people play without issue, but there are too many cases of addiction, catastrophic financial loss and, in some tragic cases, suicide.

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• The most socio-economically deprived and disadvantaged groups in England have the lowest gambling participation rates, but the highest levels of harmful gambling and they are also the most susceptible to harm.
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• A nationally representative sample of 4,932 adults aged 18 and over were surveyed during the period 13 January 2025 to 27 April 2025.
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• Problem gambling can sometimes be a symptom of bipolar disorder, so your doctor or therapist may need to rule this out before making a diagnosis.
• You might gamble in secret or lie about how much you gamble, feeling others won’t understand or that you will surprise them with a big win.
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• So we are stepping in to update the law for those most at risk of harm with a new levy on gambling operators to pay for treatment and education, player protection checks and new online slots stake limits.
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• However, the way that British legislation addresses gambling is to set up a whole series of criminal offences and then provide that the possession of the appropriate licence is a defence.
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These can help you work through the specific issues that have been created by your problem gambling and lay the foundation for repairing your relationships and finances. Think about how you’ll feel after all your money is gone and you’ve disappointed yourself and your family again.Y ou can also revisit your list of motivations that you made in tip one. It might not be enough to simply aim to “stop gambling.” You’ll want to find replacement activities to fill that time and energy void. You might gamble in secret or lie about how much you gamble, feeling others won’t understand or that you will surprise them with a big win. However, bailing the gambler out of debt may actually make matters worse by enabling their gambling problems to continue.

• Setting budgets and tracking spending are key practices in responsible UK gambling.
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• In fact, some people gamble to alleviate stress; others to take their minds off their problems or socialize with friends.

Changes to legislation:

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Age verification – tightening verification in premises

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Relationship harms

• Only one high quality review on early risk and protective factors for problem gambling examined harmful gambling among children and young people.
• The Gambling Commission has a range of powers, including the ability under the Gambling Act 2005 to investigate and bring prosecutions against those that provide unlicensed gambling facilities to consumers in Britain.
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• They can take action against a gambling company if they think the company hasn’t followed the rules.
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• The levy will be collected by the Gambling Commission and spending will be approved by the government.
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• For others, gambling can harm their physical and mental health, relationships, performance at work or study, get them into trouble with the law and leave them in serious debt and possible homelessness.
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The Gambling Survey for Great Britain will provide a robust source of evidence for decision making, and from 2024 will be the new source of official statistics on gambling behaviours in Great Britain. It is anticipated that the Voluntary Code, which aims to improve transparency, accountability and consumer protection, will be published by the end of 2025. Operators are expected to have in place measures to detect self-excluded persons who might wish to re-register using different details. Multi-operator self-exclusion schemes are in place to allow consumers to self-exclude from multiple gambling premises in Great Britain. Similarly, a centrally co-ordinated self-exclusion database (“GAMSTOP”) also allows customers to self-exclude from remote gambling offered by operators licensed by the Gambling Commission.

The lack of evidence meant that we could not cost all of the harms identified in the review, and we could not cost the economic and social burden of gambling felt by affected others. The third theme related to the measures required to prevent and reduce gambling- related harm. Commercial stakeholders thought the focus should be on individual interventions and treatment.

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• The GA 2005 was written to reform the prior legislation that divvied out regulatory responsibilities to several different governmental bodies.
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• This review has estimated that 0.5% of the adult population has a problem with gambling, 3.8% are gambling at at-risk levels, and 7% are affected negatively by an others people’s gambling.
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Advice to Government and gambling-related legislation

This is based on the direct costs to government of treating depression, alcohol dependence and illicit drug use, the quality of life impact of depression, as well as the wider societal costs of deaths by suicide. The financial difficulties and debt experienced by gamblers and affected others were often severe. Several studies reported that gambling led to bankruptcy and housing problems including homelessness. In 2018, 24.5 million people in England gambled (54% of the adult population, or 40% when you exclude the National Lottery).

The UK Gambling Commission was born out of this law and continues to administer regulatory control to this day. The United Kingdom is an inclusive country when it comes to both brick-and-mortar and online gambling. Residents can access multiple domestic and offshore entities for casino gambling, poker and sports betting. The extent of gambling among children and young people (aged 11 to 16) is lower than drinking alcohol but higher than using e-cigarettes, smoking tobacco cigarettes, or taking illegal drugs.

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Public Mental Health Implementation Centre (PMHIC)

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Understanding why people gamble and typologies

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As much as you may want to, and as hard as it is seeing the effects, you cannot make someone stop gambling. However, you can encourage them to seek help, support them in their efforts, and protect yourself. Distract yourself with another activity, such as going to the gym, watching a movie, or practicing a relaxation exercise for gambling cravings.

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This suggests that gambling may trigger suicidal events in some people already prone to suicidal ideation. The link between gambling and suicide and self-harm was supported by qualitative studies. One study reported that people engaging in moderate-risk or problem gambling experienced lower levels of family functioning and social support compared to people engaging in low-risk gambling or non-gamblers. Another study identified associations between gambling problems and intimate partner violence, but found that it may be influenced by other factors and not necessarily caused by the gambling. The white paper will support the ‘land-based’ gambling sector including casinos, arcades and bingo halls, while maintaining safeguards to protect vulnerable groups. Bingo halls, seaside arcades and casinos create employment, generate tourism and provide entertainment.

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It’s easy to think about gambling as being all about the possibility of winning money. In fact, some people gamble to alleviate stress; others to take their minds off their problems or socialize with friends. When people gamble, it triggers feelings of euphoria, linked to the brain’s reward system. Often, people who gamble risk money in hopes of winning a greater sum of money. For example, you might risk the cost of a lottery ticket for the chance at winning a large multimillion-dollar jackpot. If you’re struggling with your mental health, you can call the Samaritans’ free helpline.

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Debate: (How) should AI engage high-value players?

The financial regulation of gambling is set out mostly in the British Finance Acts and provides for various levels of duty upon different types of gambling. Any offers or odds listed in this article are correct at the time of publication but are subject to change. MrQ has been recognised as one of the top slot spots by the industry, winning the EGR Slot Operator of the Year award and its library features over 900 titles, covering a huge variety of slot types. Below, we’ve broken down the best gambling sites on the market according to different categories. Parliament issued the Gaming Act of 1845 and Betting Act of 1853, both of which effectively ceased all commercial gambling. However, on-course betting was permitted at horse tracks, but only the upper class could partake.

‘Dodgy business’: UK market tenses as industry loses favour

The Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting safer gambling by influencing positive change and advancing responsible gambling standards in Canada and around the world. You can block access to gambling websites by downloading blocking software to your device. Traditionally, gambling is an activity where someone risks money or belongings. There is an element of randomness or chance involved and the purpose is to win. Understanding how different players decide what is ‘normal’ in terms of gambling is a key consideration for communicating with these audiences, bearing in mind that many overestimate what is normal. Peoples early engagement or exposure with gambling or gambling-style activities start through-out childhood and early adulthood, and in most instances aligned with a familiar set of life events or milestones.

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The Commission is also known to work with its regulatory counterparts in other jurisdictions in tackling the black market. Gambling operators are subject to the advertising regulations of the UK Advertising Standards Authority and the industry of the British “Industry Group for Responsible Gambling”. Free-to-play casino games with prizes are regulated by the Gambling Commission (licence required).

Too much time spent on gambling can also lead to relationship and legal problems, job loss, mental health problems including depression and anxiety, and even suicide. The research found that gambling behaviour can vary between a “cold state” where choices and play are considered and is based on previous experience to a “hot state” where behaviour and play can fluctuate. It is in this hot state, that people can sometimes experience an out of the ordinary “gambling binge”.

Popular e-wallet options like Skrill and Neteller are widely used at UK online casinos, providing fast and secure transactions. Debit cards and bank transfers are also common, offering reliable alternatives for players. No deposit bonuses are bonuses given without requiring a deposit, allowing players to explore the casino without risking their own money.

Promotions like the matched deposit welcome package at Mr Vegas, which can go up to £200, further enhance the value of playing slots. Casino.com curates a vetted list of recommended sites, simplifying the search for trustworthy casinos online so players can focus on enjoying their games without concerns about security or fairness. As you explore the best online gambling sites in the UK, remember to gamble responsibly and take advantage of the various tools and features available to manage your activities. With the right approach, you can enjoy the thrill of online gambling while staying in control and having fun. New UK betting sites typically feature various bonuses, including deposit bonuses, free bet stake offers, and enhanced odds.

Mental disorders, such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and substance use disorders, often occur alongside gambling addiction. Some research also links pathological gambling to personality disorders, including antisocial, borderline, and narcissistic personality disorders. Aside from personality disorders, specific personality traits—especially impulsivity—can be risk factors for pathological gambling.

A UK study reported an overall reduction in gambling following the first lockdown, and either no change or a reduction in frequency of gambling. Four percent of participants in this study reported gambling more during lockdown, but 20% of those were identified as experiencing problem gambling. A further 2 studies conducted in Europe using data on online gambling participation found reductions in online betting between March and April 2020. Estimates suggest that there are approximately 300,000 problem gamblers in the UK – and problem gambling rates are higher for players in online casino games than those playing in bingo halls, casinos and pubs.