UK Gambling Commission Releases Wave-2 GSGB Stats for 2024

How has gambling participation in Great Britain evolved in 2024? The UKGC’s latest data reveals all.

The UK Gambling Commission’s Wave-2 GSGB data highlights stable participation trends across gambling activities, age groups, and genders.

With insights into lottery dominance, betting trends, and online gambling behaviors, this data is vital for stakeholders and policymakers.

Explore the full report and learn what these findings mean for the future of gambling in Great Britain.

UKGC Reveals Stable Gambling Trends in Wave-2 GSGB Data for 2024

Key Points

1. Stable Participation Rates: 48% of adults gambled in the past four weeks, with lotteries leading as the most popular activity.
2. Online Gambling Insights: 37.4% of respondents engaged in online gambling, dropping to 17.2% when excluding lottery-only participants.
3. Demographic Highlights: The 45–54 age group had the highest overall gambling rate, while younger demographics led online gambling.

UK Gambling Commission Reports Stable Gambling Trends in Wave-2 GSGB Data

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has published the Wave-2 Gambling Survey of Great Britain (GSGB) datasets for 2024. These new statistics offer critical insights into gambling habits, attitudes, and participation rates across the adult population of Great Britain.

Building on the Wave-1 data released earlier in 2024, the GSGB marks a new era in data collection. Conducted by NatCen, this nationally representative survey involved 4,657 adults aged 18 and over, interviewed between April and July 2024.

Stable Participation Across Gambling Activities

Key findings from Wave-2 reveal that 48% of adults engaged in gambling activities within the past four weeks, mirroring trends observed in 2023 and Wave-1. However, excluding lottery draw participation, this figure dropped to 28%, reflecting lotteries’ significant influence on overall participation rates.

Among males, 52% participated in gambling, compared to 43.6% of females. When excluding lottery-only players, participation fell to 32.4% for males and 24.7% for females.

Lottery and Charity Draws Dominate

Lotteries remain the most popular gambling activity, with 31% of respondents engaging in National Lottery draws and 16% in charity lotteries. These activities significantly outpaced other gambling options like scratchcards (12%), betting (12%), and online instant win games (7%).

Interestingly, betting participation increased by over three percentage points compared to Wave-1, signaling growing interest in this segment.

Online Gambling Trends

The survey also delves into online gambling behaviors. A total of 37.4% of respondents gambled online in the past four weeks, but this figure dropped to 17.2% when excluding lottery-only participants.

The highest online gambling rates, including lotteries, were found among the 45–54 age group (45.5%), while excluding lotteries shifted the peak to younger demographics (18–24 and 25–34 age groups at 23.9%).

Sports and racing bets dominated online gambling, with 10.3% of respondents participating, including 15.8% of males and 5.1% of females. Meanwhile, online casino games had lower engagement, with 2.8% overall participation.

Gender and Demographic Insights

Across all age groups, male participation rates were consistently higher than females. For instance, 18.5% of males engaged in betting activities, compared to just 6.5% of females.

Additionally, the 45–54 age group led overall participation when lotteries were included, while younger groups took the lead in non-lottery online gambling.

Caution in Data Interpretation

The UKGC reminds stakeholders that the GSGB data reflects a new methodology, making it non-comparable to earlier surveys. Furthermore, Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) data is excluded from the GSGB and reported separately in the annual Official Statistics on Gambling Participation.

The Wave-2 GSGB data offers a comprehensive snapshot of gambling participation trends in Great Britain. With stable participation rates and a continued reliance on lotteries, the findings highlight the evolving dynamics of gambling behavior.

For stakeholders, these insights are invaluable in shaping policies, developing responsible gambling initiatives, and understanding market trends. As the UKGC continues refining its data collection methods, the industry gains access to more accurate and actionable information.

Looking ahead, understanding shifts in betting habits, online gaming trends, and demographic preferences will remain crucial in crafting a responsible and thriving gambling ecosystem. The Wave-2 data underscores the importance of targeted strategies to address player needs while promoting safety and fairness in the industry.