Gambling Study Revealed: 80% Of UK Gamblers Spend £100 A Week On Betting

The UK Gambling Commission has worked continuously to support UK gamblers, reinforcing a message of responsibility, accountability and safety to its consumers, businesses, and licensing authorities.

Whilst the abundance of support and regulations are more prominent than ever before, the ever-changing nature of the UK gambling sector has caused a shift in attitudes.

Surveying just over 1000 UK gamblers, Mr Gamble conducted a study that established a comprehensive and unique insight into the world of UK on and offline betting, lifting the lid on common stereotypes as well as identifying the call for expanded regulation.

Some of the key insights have been provided below:

Spending habits and gambling frequency

The average British gambler spends around £70 per week on gambling, with men on average spending more than women. The biggest spenders in the UK are in London, spending on average £99 per week, followed by Yorkshire at £74, and the West Midlands at £71.

Most gamblers across the UK are happy to set their own spending limits and believe on average £192 would be too much to spend on gambling per week.

54% of respondents find themselves gambling a couple of times a week, whilst 21% take part every couple of weeks. This comes despite the ease of gambling increasing, with 85% of gamblers having apps downloaded on their phone.

Most popular form of gambling

The most popular form of gambling across the UK is sport betting and online gambling/gaming, both sitting at 39%.

Surprisingly, sports betting becomes more popular with age, rising from 31% of 18 to 30-year-olds to 53% of over 60s.

Across all categories, regions, and ages, in-house gambling was the least popular form, with on average only 2% of respondents choosing this as their most frequent form, as more gamblers switch to apps and online casinos.

Accessing gambling resources

On average, 70% of UK gamblers stop after a loss, and 58% stop after a win. Although it appears that the average gambler understands the importance of self-regulation, as 78% have never had to access resources for excessive gambling.

In addition to this, 74% of respondents were confident that if they ever needed to access gambling resources, they would know where to find them.

Gambling affiliate sites like Mr Gamble have supported in streamlining this process, highlighting responsible gambling resources across their sites to support gamblers looking for help.

Should gambling regulations change?

68% of respondents believe gambling regulations should be tougher, including 75% of female respondents compared to 61% of male respondents.

Those over 60 were the least concerned with an increase in gambling regulations at 39%, compared to 29% of 31 to 50-year-old respondents.

A full rundown of the study can be found HERE.