By Eric King-
Gambling addiction rates may be much higher than previously thought, according to research that also warns nearly half of those with a problem are not getting any help.
In a survey commissioned by the GambleAware charity, YouGov estimated that up to 2.7% of adults in Great Britain, or nearly 1.4 million people, are problem gamblers. Experts urged caution over the figure, insisting that the true addiction rate is likely to be closer to the health survey figures of 0.7% cited by industry regulator the Gambling Commission.
However, the findings still indicate that the number of problem gamblers – defined as scoring more than eight on the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) may be significantly above current estimates. YouGov questioned 16,000 people for the survey.
The report also concluded that as many as 7% of adults, or 3.6 million people report having been negatively affected by someone else’s gambling problem. Also concluded by the research was the suggestion that nearly 5 million British people have experienced harm linked to gambling, even accounting for the overlap between problem gamblers and those they affect.
Both GambleAware and the Gambling Commission said it was likely that YouGov’s findings overestimated the addiction rate, highlighting a review of the data by survey sampling expert Professor Patrick Sturgis.
Sturgis, a former GambleAware trustee, said both the YouGov survey and the health survey figures were likely to contain flaws, with the true rate of problem gambling likely to be closer to the commonly used 0.7% figure than YouGov’s 2.7% estimate.
According to the study, almost 50% of those with a trouble are not obtaining any type of aid.
In a study appointed by the GambleAware charity, YouGov approximated that approximately 2.7% of grownups in Great Britain, or almost 1.4 million individuals, are trouble casino players. Experts prompted care over the number, firmly insisting that real addiction price is most likely to be closer to the health and wellness study numbers of 0.7% cited by industry regulator the Gambling Commission.
The study also concluded that an estimated a 7% of grownups, or 3.6 million individuals, record having actually been adversely impacted by somebody else’s gambling trouble.