Official Figures Confirm a Drop in UK Problem Gambling Rates
New figures have been released by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) which confirm that the rates of gambling problems in the country have fallen to 0.2%. The figures have been calculated in the year leading up to March 2022, which is a decrease of half from the percentage recorded in the previous year. This marks the equivalent of a drop from 225,000 problem gamblers in the UK down to around 113,00.
While the news of this is welcomed, it is offset by the increasing number of people in the UK who have chosen to engage in black market gambling sites. In just two years, the number of British gamblers accessing these platforms has more than doubled, and the amount being staked at the sites has entered into the billions of pounds bracket.
Across the United Kingdom and Europe, it is said that the scale of the online gambling black market scene is shocking. This has come about thanks to the introduction of stricter measures when it comes to legal and regulated operators providing their services.
Norway, for example, introduced a state monopoly on all gaming activity, which was coupled up with much wider restrictions. As a result, the black market for online gambling in the country now gets to experience about 66% of all the money staked by Norwegians. The problem gambling rate within stands at about 1.4% of all adults participating in it. Similarly, in France, online casino gaming has been entirely banned, but 57% of money is still staked at overseas, offshore platforms. The problem gambling rate within the country runs at 1.6% of all adults.
BGC Praises Industry Efforts To Reduce Harm
The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) was one of the first to heap praise on the gambling industry’s efforts to lower problem gambling rates in the UK. The Chief Executive of the organisation, Michael Dugher stated that the new figures provided additional evidence of “positive progress”, as well as underline the calls for ministers in the country to utilise a genuine evidence-based approach when it comes to the upcoming white paper surrounding gambling legislation.
Dugher went on to say that the Commission and the Government should not “pander to the anti-gambling lobby”, citing the initiatives of the industry to advertise and promote safer gambling tools. He highlighted the deposit limitations and time-outs, as well as looking towards investing more in research and treatment of gambling problems. A tougher set of rules on VIP schemes was also pointed out by the CEO.
“It also underlines the success of an increase in voluntary funding by the betting and gaming industry to support independent charities in delivering research, education and treatment (RET) for problem gamblers. Those that argue for a statutory levy want nothing more than a brand-new tax on the industry which won’t put an extra penny into RET, but it could hammer parts of the sector, in particular land-based casinos who are only just recovering from the pandemic, threatening jobs and businesses”,
he continued.
Dugher went on to highlight that the latest figures had noted a considerable drop in problem gambling, and this is something that he said would come as a disappointment to anti-gambling campaigners.
Still Waiting For The White Paper
The Gambling Act 2005, which was introduced by Tony Blair’s Labour party and liberalised gambling across the UK, has been under scrutiny for some time now. In recent years, many have sought out tougher laws and rules surrounding what gambling companies can advertise, when they can do so, the types of games that can be provided, and so on. It was with this in mind that the Government chose to overhaul current gambling laws so as to make them fit in with the more modern, digital gambling scene.
For months, it has been reported that a white paper is to be published, which will explain all the details of new laws that will be introduced relating to gambling in the country. Yet the date for its release has been pushed back on numerous occasions, with May currently being the time everyone is waiting on for this. Internal tension at Whitehall was said to be the reason behind the latest delay. It was originally supposed to be published at the end of 2021.
A large amount of backlash from gambling addiction campaigners has been experienced due to the multiple pushbacks regarding the white paper. Liz Ritchie, who is the co-founder of the Gambling with Lives charity alongside her husband Charles, said that
“someone takes their life every day in the UK because of gambling, so we simply cannot wait until May to see this white paper”.
The pair are adamant at more stringent laws being introduced following the suicide of their son Jack, who had himself become addicted to gambling.
Current UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is himself a supporter of gambling reform in the UK, although his future in the role has been uncertain for some months now. Yet the original delay to the publication of the white paper came about due to cabinet reshuffles. In that fracas, Chris Philip replaced John Whittingdale as the Gambling Minister.
It was left to the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Gambling Related Harm, Carolyn Harris, to explain that the current circumstances within government had led to a major impact on the review of the Gambling Act. But she persisted with her statement that
“every day of delay leads to further gambling-related harm while the industry rakes in profits. The government must not let its own internal problems stand in the way of much-needed reforms for this country – it is time for action!”.
