UK gambling harm 'worse than claimed'

Survey shows number affected 9 times higher than reported by betting industry

New research on gambling addiction rates estimates that as many as 2.8 percent of adults in the United Kingdom are being harmed by their betting habit.

Data from the study by charity GambleAware suggests problem gambling in the population is nine times higher than reported by the betting industry.

The charity's survey, conducted on its behalf by YouGov last year, revealed that 1.4 million people are "being harmed by their own gambling", while a further 1.5 million are "at risk".

The research has been published just weeks before the government is due to reveal new gambling laws that aim to eliminate problem betting, and in an effort to encourage more people to seek treatment.

The online survey of more than 18,000 adults found nearly 60 percent had participated in some type of gambling activity in the past 12 months.

The figures contradict the latest assessment from the government's regulatory agency, the Gambling Commission, on betting addiction rates that are based on quarterly telephone surveys.

Quoted by The Guardian, a spokesperson for the Betting &Gaming Council, the industry's main body in the UK, said: "We do not recognize these figures which are not supported by the Gambling Commission's most recent research, which showed rates of problem gambling have been falling, according to the regulator at 0.3 percent-down from 0.6 percent 18 months ago.

"That's equivalent to a drop of 340,000 problem gamblers down to 170,000-not 1.4 million suggested by GambleAware."

The charity said it had also commissioned an independent review of different survey methodologies.

In a statement, it said: "Online surveys often lead to higher estimates of prevalence compared to face-to-face or telephone surveys. Therefore the figures in this document may be upper bounds on the 'true' rate of prevalence of gambling harms, at least relative to other survey methods."

It added: "All survey methodologies involve different biases, so there is no 'true' or 'gold standard' estimate of the number of people experiencing gambling harms."

Betting and Gaming Council chief Michael Dughe recently warned against "well-meaning but naive changes" that may come from new gambling laws, noted the CityAM newspaper. He said: "Anti-gambling campaigners may want to see a smaller regulated industry, but that would be bad news for the economy and the Exchequer."

Quoted in the GambleAware news release, broadcaster and doctor Hilary Jones said: "Despite impacting a significant number of people, gambling harms are often poorly understood and under-reported. This is partially because the impact harmful gambling can have on people's lives is incredibly varied, complex, and too often hidden."