An investigation conducted by YouGov, sponsored by the non-profit organization GambleAware, determined that gambling participation rates in the United Kingdom declined during the period of confinement. The research, which surveyed more than 12,000 individuals, discovered that overall gambling rates, problematic gambling rates, and average customer expenditures all decreased.
The study employed the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) to evaluate problematic gambling. The index comprises a series of inquiries concerning gambling-related thoughts and behaviors, with participants who answer 1-2 affirmatively deemed low risk for gambling-related harm, 3-7 considered moderate risk, and 8 or more considered at risk for problematic gambling.
The study revealed that gambling involvement rates dropped considerably from 49% in October 2019 to 39% in May 2020. Only 4% of respondents indicated they gambled more during the lockdown compared to before, while 41% stated they gambled less, and 52% indicated their gambling levels remained relatively unchanged.
During the month of May, individuals classified as possessing a problematic gambling risk or being identified as problem gamblers exhibited a higher likelihood of escalating their gambling frequency compared to those without such issues.
For those exhibiting a low level of risk, a percentage of nine experienced an increase in their gambling frequency, while fifty percent witnessed a reduction. For those categorized as medium risk, twelve percent saw an increase in their gambling frequency, and forty-six percent observed a decrease.
Among those attaining a score of at least eight on the PGSI, a greater number still decreased their gambling activities compared to those who increased them, although the disparity was less pronounced. Twenty percent increased their gambling, twenty-seven percent decreased it, and forty-seven percent maintained a relatively consistent level.
In terms of gambling expenditures, the outcomes mirrored this pattern. Forty-one percent of individuals reduced their spending during the period of confinement, fifty-one percent maintained roughly the same spending levels, and three percent witnessed an increase. Similarly, those who reported indications of gambling problems in May were more likely to enhance their spending compared to those without such signs, but across all groups, a larger proportion still decreased spending than increased it.
The quantity of at-risk gamblers also experienced a decline. Those categorized as low or medium risk decreased from ten percent to nine percent, while those classified as high risk dropped from three percent to two percent. Individuals who engaged in gambling but were not at risk also decreased, from forty-eight percent to forty-six percent, as the number of non-gamblers rose.
Of those classified as non-gamblers in October of 2019, eighty-six percent remained in that category in May, twelve percent commenced gambling but were not at risk, one percent transitioned to a low-risk classification, and another one percent became medium risk.
Of those without risk prior to the period of confinement, ninety-four percent were either non-gamblers or not at risk in May of 2020. An additional five percent were categorized as low risk, and one percent were classified as medium risk.
During the tenth month of 2019, sixty-one percent of low-risk bettors switched to non-risk or non-gambling activities, twenty-nine percent remained at a low-risk level, nine percent moved to a medium-risk category, and one percent escalated to high-risk.
Among those initially classified as medium-risk, thirty-two percent transitioned to non-gambling or no risk, twenty percent decreased to low-risk, forty percent remained at a medium-risk level, and eight percent saw their risk level increase to high-risk.
For individuals initially categorized as problem gamblers, seventeen percent completely ceased gambling or exhibited no risk in May 2020, twenty-three percent decreased to low-risk or medium-risk, and sixty percent remained problem gamblers.
Analyzing the data by gambling type, national lottery draws remain the most popular form, but participation rates declined from thirty-six percent to twenty-seven percent. Scratch cards, once the second most popular form of gambling, decreased from ten percent to seven percent, while other lotteries, such as charity lotteries, remained at nine percent, moving into second place.
Online football betting experienced a substantial drop, from six percent of the sample to three percent, while online horse racing betting decreased from three percent to one percent, and other online sports betting dropped from two percent to one percent. Retail betting in each category declined from one percent of the sample to zero percent due to retail venue closures.
Online casinos are the only sector to witness an increase in game participation, rising from one and a half percent to two and three tenths percent. However, this increase is still less than the decline in online sports betting, indicating that overall online non-lottery gambling has decreased.
YouGov suggests that, although it’s difficult to definitively state whether the decline in gambling is due to lockdowns, it’s “reasonable to assume that some of the alterations we observe” are directly linked to the pandemic and related restrictions. They also suggest that repeating the research could provide valuable insights into the effects of easing lockdown measures.
This study aligns with research YouGov conducted for the Gambling Commission, which similarly discovered a decrease in gambling activity during April and May, followed by a slight increase after the relaxation of regulations.
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