Gambling Facts

Gambling harm is more common than you might think, and the commercial environment has a significant influence on the escalation of harms and acceleration of unaffordable losses.

• • 300,000 to 1.44 million adults experience addiction to gambling in Great Britain (sources here & here)
  • 80,000 UK children experience addiction to gambling or at risk of addiction.
  • 86% of gross online betting profits come from 5% of customers – those already experience addiction or at serious risk of addiction.
  • 20% of the UK population are directly or indirectly harmed by gambling.
  • 117 to 496 gambling-related suicides in England every year, according to a 2023 Office for Health Improvement and Disparities report.
  • 1 in 4 gamblers are at substantially higher risk of suffering serious harm.
  • 45% addiction and at-risk rates for some online casino and slot games.
  • 35% increase in mortality rate associated with heavy gambling.
  • 78% of people engaging with micro sports (“in play”) betting experience addiction, according to this study.
  • £15.1 billion gross annual profit for the gambling industry.
  • £1.5 billion spent by the industry on advertising each year.
  • 35% of people with gambling disorder receive daily incentives to gamble, compared to 4% of those not suffering gambling harm.
  • 22% addiction and at-risk rate for those who gamble more than once a week.