Online gambling in UK slightly up

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ONLINE GAMBLING UP IN BRITAIN THIS YEAR

Latest Gambling Commission study shows online gambling demographics

The British gambling regulator, the Gambling Commission has published its latest survey results, showing that online gambling is becoming more popular, and that the main demographic group is male and aged 18-34.

The Commission regularly outsources research studies, in this case to ICM Research who canvassed a solid representative sample in Britain of over 8 000 adult respondents. The latest figures derived from the quarterly statistical series provide a useful snapshot of participation by adults in remote gambling, including online gambling, in the UK.

The improved measure, published for the first time in February 2007, allows the Commission to distinguish between the full range of remote gambling methods, personal computer, mobile phone and interactive TV. It also allows for the measurement of the participation in the full range of gambling activities available through these remote methods, access to which have all increased in recent years.

The document titled ‘Survey Data on Remote Gambling Participation’ is available on the Gambling Commission’s website.

Key findings include:

* Over the four quarters to September 2007 (i.e. an average of figures for December 2006, March 2007, June 2007 and September 2007), 8.7 percent of the 8 000 adults surveyed said they had participated in at least one form of remote gambling (through a computer, mobile phone or interactive/digital TV) in the previous month.

This compares with the 2006 calendar year figure of 7.4 percent. The remaining 91.3 percent of respondents said they had not participated in any form of remote gambling, refuting claims by industry detractors that online gambling presents a greater risk of problems occurring.

* Those participating in remote gambling remain more likely to be male than female, and are more likely to be aged 18 - 34.

* If those only playing the National Lottery remotely are excluded, an even lower 5.5 percent of respondents participated in remote gambling.

* Overall, 6.2 percent of respondents said they had gambled remotely on the National Lottery in the previous month (either only or in addition to other types of gambling activity).

* Remote gambling via a computer, laptop or handheld device was most popular (6.7 percent of all adult respondents), followed by gambling via mobile phone (2.7 percent) and interactive/digital TV (under 2 percent).

The figures provided in the study series cover all forms of remote gambling. Each wave of the survey is conducted once every quarter, with the first survey published in February 2007. This is the fourth issue of the data and covers the period between October 2006 and September 2007.

Those surveyed are asked whether they have gambled via the Internet through a PC, laptop or handheld device; via WAP/Internet text (SMS) on a mobile phone; and/or via interactive/digital TV. Those who do gamble are also asked to specify the type of gambling activities undertaken (for example the National Lottery, betting and casino type games).