The UK Gambling Commission has released the latest Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB) data, revealing that gambling participation rates remained stable at 48 percent during the April to July 2024 period. The survey, conducted by NatCen Social Research, interviewed 4,657 adults and provides detailed insights into gambling behaviors across different demographics and activity types.
The UK Gambling Commission has released the latest Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB) data, revealing that gambling participation rates remained stable at 48 percent during the April to July 2024 period. The survey, conducted by NatCen Social Research, interviewed 4,657 adults and provides detailed insights into gambling behaviors across different demographics and activity types.
Survey Methodology and Sample
The GSGB Year 2, Wave 2 survey collected data from a nationally representative sample between April and July 2024. Researchers interviewed 4,657 adults aged 18 and over across Great Britain, with 62.8 percent completing the survey online and 37.2 percent via postal questionnaires.
The survey methodology accounts for regional variations in response rates through statistical weighting, ensuring the data accurately represents the adult population of Great Britain. Detailed methodology information and technical specifications are available in the GSGB Year 2 technical report published alongside the data release.
Overall Participation Trends
Key Participation Statistics (Past 4 Weeks)
| Metric | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Overall gambling participation | 48.0% |
| Lottery draws only players | 20.0% |
| Participation excluding lottery-only players | 28.0% |
| Online gambling participation | 37.0% |
| Online gambling (excluding lottery-only) | 17.0% |
| In-person gambling participation | 29.0% |
| In-person gambling (excluding lottery-only) | 18.0% |
The data shows gambling participation has remained consistent with previous 2023 measurements and the first 2024 wave. When researchers exclude participants who only engaged with lottery draws, the participation rate drops to 28 percent, highlighting the significant role lottery products play in overall gambling activity.
Demographic Analysis
Males demonstrate higher gambling participation than females across most age groups, with 52.5 percent of men reporting gambling activity in the past four weeks compared to 43.7 percent of women. When lottery-only players are excluded, the gap widens slightly to 32.4 percent for males and 24.7 percent for females.
Participation Rates by Age Group
| Age Group | All Participants | Excluding Lottery-Only |
|---|---|---|
| 18-24 years | 40.7% | 35.0% |
| 25-34 years | 43.9% | 35.8% |
| 35-44 years | 48.1% | 33.7% |
| 45-54 years | 55.2% | 33.1% |
| 55-64 years | 52.7% | 23.9% |
| 65-74 years | 49.5% | 17.3% |
| 75+ years | 40.1% | 15.2% |
The age profile reveals interesting patterns. Overall gambling participation peaks among the 45-54 age group at 55.2 percent. However, when lottery-only players are removed from the analysis, younger age groups show higher engagement rates. The 25-34 age bracket demonstrates the highest non-lottery gambling participation at 35.8 percent.
For males specifically, participation peaks in the 45-54 age group at 57.2 percent overall, but when lottery-only players are excluded, the 25-34 age group leads at 43.8 percent. This shift indicates younger male demographics engage more heavily in non-lottery gambling products.
Activity Type Breakdown
Most Popular Gambling Activities (Past 4 Weeks)
| Activity Type | All Participants | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Lottery draws | 30.8% | 34.4% | 27.4% |
| Other charity lottery draws | 16.2% | 14.8% | 17.4% |
| Scratchcards | 12.5% | 11.3% | 13.5% |
| Betting (all forms) | 12.4% | 18.5% | 6.5% |
| Online instant win games | 7.3% | 8.0% | 6.7% |
| Fruit and slots games | 5.1% | 6.9% | 3.4% |
| Bingo | 4.0% | 3.2% | 4.6% |
| Casino games | 3.5% | 5.6% | 1.6% |
National Lottery draws remain the dominant gambling activity, with nearly one-third of all adults participating. Other charity lottery draws attracted 16.2 percent of respondents, while scratchcards and betting each captured approximately 12 percent market share.
The data reveals notable differences between male and female preferences. Males show significantly higher participation in betting activities (18.5 percent versus 6.5 percent), casino games (5.6 percent versus 1.6 percent), and fruit and slots games (6.9 percent versus 3.4 percent). Females demonstrate slightly higher engagement with charity lottery draws and scratchcards.
Betting Activity Growth
Betting participation increased by more than three percentage points compared to the previous survey wave in early 2024, reaching 12.4 percent overall participation. This represents one of the few activity types showing measurable growth during the measurement period.
Online and app-based sports and racing betting accounted for 10.3 percent of the adult population, while in-person betting attracted 3.8 percent. Event outcome betting, both online and in-person, captured smaller market shares at 1.9 percent and 1.3 percent respectively.
Online Versus In-Person Activity
The survey data highlights the continued dominance of online channels for gambling activity. Online gambling participation reached 37.4 percent of all adults, though this figure drops to 17 percent when lottery-only players are excluded.
Online vs. In-Person Participation by Activity Type
National Lottery draws showed the most significant online preference, with 24.9 percent purchasing tickets online compared to 16.0 percent buying in person. For sports and racing betting, 10.3 percent used online or app-based platforms while 3.8 percent bet in person.
Bingo participation split relatively evenly between online (1.9 percent) and venue-based play (3.1 percent), making it one of the few activities where in-person engagement exceeded online participation.
Player Motivations
The survey asked participants who gambled in the past 12 months about their reasons for gambling, revealing clear priorities among British gamblers.
Top Reasons for Gambling (Past 12 Months)
| Motivation | Percentage |
|---|---|
| For the chance of winning big money | 85.5% |
| Because it’s fun | 72.3% |
| To make money | 58.5% |
| Because it’s exciting | 56.5% |
| Because of the sense of achievement when I win | 46.2% |
| Because it’s something I do with friends or family | 35.5% |
| As a hobby or pastime | 29.3% |
The chance to win substantial money ranked as the top motivation, cited by 85.5 percent of past-year gamblers. Entertainment value came second, with 72.3 percent indicating they gamble “because it’s fun.” Financial motivations featured prominently, with 58.5 percent citing money-making as a reason for participation.
Younger age groups demonstrated higher rates of social and entertainment-focused motivations. Among 18-24 year olds, 86.7 percent cited fun as a reason for gambling, compared to 57.9 percent of those aged 75 and over. Similarly, 56.0 percent of younger gamblers reported gambling with friends or family, versus 21.3 percent of the oldest age group.
Males showed higher endorsement across most motivational categories compared to females, particularly for competitive reasons (13.5 percent versus 5.6 percent) and mental challenge (24.7 percent versus 15.5 percent).
Regional and Demographic Variations
The survey collected data across all regions of Great Britain, with response rates weighted to ensure proper geographic representation. The weighting methodology accounts for variations in regional response patterns and demographic characteristics to provide nationally representative results.
Survey completion modes varied significantly by age. Younger participants showed strong preference for online completion, with 83.7 percent of 18-24 year olds completing the survey online. This percentage declined steadily with age, dropping to 27.7 percent among those aged 75 and over.
Next Survey Release
The Gambling Commission will publish the next quarterly GSGB dataset (Wave 3, 2024) on 27 February 2025. The continued quarterly release schedule provides regulators, operators, and researchers with regular updates on gambling behavior patterns across Great Britain.
The GSGB methodology replaced previous gambling survey approaches, making direct comparisons with historical data challenging. The commission emphasizes that results from the new survey framework should not be directly compared to previous publication methodologies.
Source: UK Gambling Commission
