Gambling Commission Research Articles

Tracking online searches for gambling activities and operators in the United Kingdom during the COVID-19 pandemic: A Google Trends™ analysis.

Whilst some research has explored the impact of COVID-19 on gambling behaviour, little is yet known about online search behaviours for gambling during this period. The current study explored gambling-related online searches before, during and after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. We also assessed whether search trends were related to Gambling Commission behavioural data over the same period. Google Trends™ search data, covering thirty months from January 2020 to June 2022, for five gambling activities and five gambling operators were downloaded. Graphical displays of the weekly relative search values over this period were then produced to visualise trends in search terms, with key dates in COVID-19 policy and sporting events highlighted. Cross-correlations between seasonally adjusted monthly search data and behavioural indices were conducted. Sharp increases in internet searches for poker, slots, and bingo were evident during the first lockdown in the UK, with operator searches sharply decreasing over this period. No changes in gambling activity searches were highlighted during subsequent lockdowns, although small increases in operator-based searches were detected. Strong positive correlations were found between search data and industry data for sports betting and poker but not for slots. Google Trends™ data may act as an indicator of population-level gambling behaviour. Substitution of preferred gambling activities for others may have occurred during the first lockdown when opportunities for sports betting were limited. Further research is needed to assess the effectiveness of internet search data in predicting gambling-related harm.

Understanding gambling in the United Kingdom: A qualitative study on the experiences of gamblers' families.

This study focuses on understanding the experiences of family members of problem gamblers in the United Kingdom and the gambling consequences in their lives. Family members of problem gamblers, even though they suffer from gambling consequences, the impacts of gambling are under-researched. Qualitative research through in-depth interviews was employed. Thematic analysis was used to gain a deeper insight into gambling. Nine female participants were interviewed based on a semi-structured questionnaire. The results of this study indicated that close family members of problem gamblers had suffered not only financial devastation but also harsh psychological and mental health damages. Furthermore, family members suffer from gamblers' abusive and violent behaviors. Addiction was a key factor of gamblers' habit; fear, anxiety, and depression were some of the health issues derived from gambling. Overall, gambling addiction leads to further addiction, crime, and severe, family-relation sufferings. The study results suggest that the London Gambling Commission and regulating authority should change gambling policy, reduce gambling points, and limit gambling slot machines in food markets and community areas. More support is needed for family members affected by gamblers' addictive gambling behaviors.

Forex, Cfds and Other Derivatives: Investments or Gambling?

The attractions to investors of forex and other derivatives derives from their simplicity: to bet on the direction of a price change. Unfortunately, many ‘investors’ do not realise that short term price changes are not predictable and, inevitably, they will lose their money. This paper explains why this is inevitable. It also argues that the regulation of forex should be handled by a gambling regulator (in the UK, the Gambling Commission) rather than a financial regulator (in the UK, the Financial Conduct Authority) as forex trading is a bet and not an investment.

Online Sports Betting in Brazil and conflict solution clauses

Sports betting sites are now a reality in Brazil. According to Exame1 magazine, in 2018, it moved around 2 billion reais per year, and with the imminent regulation of Act n. 13.756 /2018, it should move approximately 8 billion reais annually. Online gambling will only reach the peak of its market, according to Rohan Miller,2 when consumers’ risk perception is reduced or neutralized. Questions such as who to look for if something goes wrong and which laws apply in the event of a conflict should be answered clearly by the betting sites’ Terms of Service (EULAs). Therefore, this article’s general objective will be to analyze the methods of conflict resolution included in the Terms of Use of the 9 (nine) main sports betting sites used by Brazilians, namely: 1. Bet365; 2. SportingBet; 3. Betboo; 4. Betway; 5. Rivalo. 6. 22Bet; 7. Betmotion; 8. Bumbet; 9. Bet9. As a specific objective, we will analyze the mediation and arbitration procedures as well as the statistics of two ODR (Online Dispute Resolution) service sites used by the betting sites: the e-Commerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance (e-Cogra - online mediation service ) and Independent Betting Adjudication Service (IBAS online arbitration service). Both legally based in England. We could realize that the Brazilian bettor, as a rule, does not read the terms of service and is unaware of the conflict resolution clause provided by the website. Besides, through data analysis from eCOGRA and IBSA, we can state that Brazilian gamblers who access ODR service providers are very rare both because they are unaware and because of linguistic difficulties. Also, the chances of success in resolving conflicts in favor of the consumer through mediation are greater than through online arbitration. In short, we can say that the model established by the UK Gambling Act and the Great Britain Gambling Commission is a model that guarantees the fundamental principles of both mediation and arbitration (impartiality, due process, and easy access). The fact that arbitration and mediation are not binding on bettors under any circumstances also guarantees the parties equal treatment.

In Case You Haven't Heard…

Problem gambling can lead to devastating tragedy, including suicide, as people struggle to recoup their losses. For decades, the people making money from gambling have sought various ways, with more or less effort, to counteract these problems, but in general, gambling has gotten more intense. Sports betting is just one of the latest. Sports betting goes far beyond gambling centers like casinos. In Colorado, new funding may go to a hotline to help problem gamblers, according to an article published in The Colorado Sun last week. There's a problem here though: Gambling makes money. A total of $3,749,743,663 was spent on sports betting alone in Colorado between July 2021 and March 2022, representing an 86% increase over the same period in the previous fiscal year. The state's Office of Behavioral Health and the gambling commission are collaborating on efforts to address the problem. Who will staff the hotline? Stay tuned. For the article, go to https://coloradosun.com/2022/05/04/colorado‐gambling‐problem‐grant‐funds/.

Current trends of Ukraine’s categorized hotels development

The article analyzes the current state of categorized hotels in Ukraine, their dynamics for 2018–2021 and distribution by regions. The activity of the State Agency for the Tourism Development of Ukraine on the establishment of categories of hotels, with the subsequent identification of the main trends and frequency of obtaining the declared category by the hotel is investigated. The main motives for obtaining a category by modern hotels are summarized. The existence of a relationship between the selected target audience and the decision to undergo categorization by the hotel was identified. The influence of new requirements for hotels receiving permission to organize and conduct gambling on the rapid growth in demand for hotels to undergo the categorization procedure has been determined. The register of permits issued by the Gambling and Lottery Regulatory Commission was investigated and compared with a list of hotels that had recently been categorized and re-examined of an existing category. It is predicted that by the end of the year there will be a significant increase in the number of categorized hotels in the whole country, and specifically in Kyiv. The place of the Odessa region among other administrative-territorial units of Ukraine was determined by the number of categorized hotels for 2018–2021. The characteristic of the main trends that distinguish the Odessa region from the list of categorized hotels from other regions of Ukraine is given. The main changes that took place in the Odessa region in the context of various categories of hotels are revealed. The distribution of categorized hotels with more than one hundred rooms has been investigated. The dependence of the location of hotels and the result of their categorization is substantiated. The existing tendencies regarding categorized hotels in Ukraine are determined, including the uneven distribution by region, the revival of the rate of obtaining the category by hotels after the entry into force of the Law of Ukraine on state regulation of activities for the organization and conduct of gambling, positioning the Odessa region as the region with the largest number of «five stars» hotels. Suggestions for further research on this issue are given.

ESPORTS INTEGRITY POLICIES

ESPORTS INTEGRITY POLICIES

Gambling in children and adolescents.

Children are susceptible to problems with gambling because of developmental and cognitive immaturities, as well as a sensitivity to peer pressure and marketing. This review uses recent UK data from the Gambling Commission and from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, and evidence from recent reviews of gambling in children and adolescents. The prevalence of gambling in children worldwide and in the UK is stable, having generally decreased since 2013. Online gambling is increasing in children and young people. A small minority of adolescents who gamble develop a gambling disorder. Adolescents who have problems with gambling tend to have lower self-esteem and a history of hyperactivity and impulsivity, are more likely to have parents who gamble, report less parental supervision and to use more alcohol than their peers. Children's access to slot machines, the relationship between gaming and gambling, and social media advertizing of gambling targeting children. An increase in online gambling and in-play sports betting by adolescents and the use of skins betting in video gaming.Areas timely for developing research: impact on young people of betting on e-gaming. How best to protect children from early exposure to gambling in the current internet age. Need to be aware of the growing and complex phenomenon of gaming and gambling, and implications for the mental health of children and adolescents. The effective management of gambling disorders in children and adolescents requires close working with families.

Risk factors for gambling and problem gambling: a protocol for a rapid umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses

BackgroundGambling and problem gambling are increasingly being viewed as a public health issue. European surveys have reported a high prevalence of gambling, and according to the Gambling Commission, in 2018, almost half of the general population aged 16 and over in England had participated in gambling in the 4 weeks prior to being surveyed. The potential harms associated with gambling and problem are broad, including harms to individuals, their friends and family, and society. There is a need to better understand the nature of this issue, including its risk factors. The purpose of this study is to identify and examine the risk factors associated with gambling and problem gambling.MethodsAn umbrella review will be conducted, where systematic approaches will be used to identify, appraise and synthesise systematic reviews and meta-analyses of risk factors for gambling and problem gambling. The review will include systematic reviews and meta-analyses published between 2005 and 2019, in English language, focused on any population and any risk factor, and of quantitative or qualitative studies. Electronic searches will be conducted in Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, Ovid PsycInfo, NICE Evidence and SocIndex via EBSCO, and a range of websites will be searched for grey literature. Reference lists will be scanned for additional papers and experts will be contacted. Screening, quality assessment and data extraction will be conducted in duplicate, and quality assessment will be conducted using AMSTAR-2. A narrative synthesis will be used to summarise the results.DiscussionThe results of this review will provide a comprehensive and up-to-date understanding of the risk factors associated with gambling and problem gambling. It will be used by Public Health England as part of a broader evidence review of gambling-related harms.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO CRD42019151520

Gambling Harm as a Global Public Health Concern: A Mixed Method Investigation of Trends in Wales

Background: Recent research evidence has suggested that gambling is a public health concern. A number of studies report the association between gambling activity and increased instances of various other harms, including substance misuse and psychological disorders. In parallel to alcohol misuse, it is also becoming clear that gambling related harm is more of a continuum of harm, as opposed to traditionally accepted categorisations of gambling behavior: safe and responsible or “problem” and harmful. Previous effective treatment models for alcohol misuse have considered a public health approach to develop interventions. As such, the current research seeks to use a public health approach to both investigate the extent of gambling harm across Wales, and to identify upstream predictors of harm to inform future interventions.Method: A triangulation of data collection methods was utilized across Wales, UK. Two hundred and forty-eight participants completed a quantitative survey relating to gambling behavior and related harm, which included the Problem Severity Gambling Index, the Gambling Commission measure of frequency, The Gambling Motives Questionnaire and the Fast Alcohol Screening tool. Ninety-eight of these participants completed a qualitative subsection. Structured interviews were conducted with 20 individuals from 11 service providers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted for the five case studies of individuals who had previously sought help for gambling. The geographical density and distribution of Licensed Gambling Outlets was also mapped in local areas.Results: The findings provide further evidence of a continuum of gambling related harm. Twenty seven percent of survey participants demonstrate some indicators of risk of gambling harm. Social, cultural and environmental contexts play a role in initiation and maintenance of gambling behavior and the subsequent related harm. Accounts from individuals corroborated the quantitative findings.Conclusions: Findings from this Welsh sample are in line with and add support to the growing international research evidence that gambling harms are a universal issue that cross cultures. It is clear that action is needed by legislators at a policy level and that broadening the focus of intervention to a public health level is necessary to develop effective strategies for harm reduction.

Harms associated with gambling: abbreviated systematic review protocol

BackgroundAccording to the Gambling Commission, in 2018, almost half of the general population aged 16 and over had participated in gambling in the 4 weeks before being surveyed. Such surveys suggest that the proportion of people who are classed as ‘problem’ gamblers is relatively small; however, this may be related to the ways data are collected and gambling behaviour is classified. Concern about the harms associated with gambling is rising, and in response, Public Health England (PHE) has initiated this review to identify the harms associated with this activity. Harms to the gambler, their close associates and the wider society will all be included.MethodsAbbreviated systematic review processes will be employed. Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, Ovid Psycinfo, NICE Evidence and EBSCO SocIndex; a range of websites (for grey literature); and reference lists of included studies will be searched. Experts will be asked to identify other relevant literature. Literature published in years 2005–2019, published in English, from a country within the Organisation for Economic Development (OECD) and following an observational, qualitative or systematic review design will be included. AMSTAR2 (systematic reviews), the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (observational studies) and the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) qualitative checklist (qualitative studies) will be used to assess the risk of bias. A narrative synthesis will be used to summarise the results. The body of evidence will also be assessed according to the principles laid out in the CERQual approach.DiscussionThis protocol provides details of the framework that has been set up to guide this systematic review. The results of this review will provide an extensive assessment of the breadth and magnitude of harms associated with gambling. This will be one of the most comprehensive reviews of gambling-related harms undertaken to date.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO CRD42019154757

Suicidality and Problem Gambling Among Emerging Adults: Results from a Cross-Sectional Online Survey

Background: In many nations, suicidality in young people has increased with a range of factors suggested to explain this, including increased attention on problem gambling as a risk factor for suicidality. Few studies have examined this specifically for young adults or since gambling has become more widely available, online, and normalised. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey collected data from 3549 16-24-year-olds living in Britain. Associations between problem gambling and past year suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts were examined in a series of regression models, with and without adjustment for sociodemographic factors, alcohol use, social media and gaming behaviour, anxiety, loneliness and impulsivity. Results: 37·0% (95%CI: 25.7-48.3) of young men who had attempted suicide in the past year were problem gamblers, compared with 3.6% (2.5-4.5) of young men who had not. Equivalent estimates for young women were 14·4% (6.4-22.4) and 2.0% (1.3-2.7). The unadjusted odds of attempted suicide were 15·1 (8.2-27.9) times higher among male problem gamblers and 8·0 (4.0-16.0) times higher among female problems gamblers. For both men and women, the relationship attenuated but remained significant taking other factors into account. Interpretation: Problem gambling appears to be a risk factor for suicide attempts in young people. This relationship persists once anxiety, impulsivity and life satisfaction are taken into account suggesting other mechanisms, like the harms experienced by those who gamble problematically, or gamble to cope with life stressors, underpin this relationship. Young people with gambling problems should be viewed as high-risk for suicidality. Funding: Funded by Wellcome Trust (no: 200306/Z/15/Z). Declaration of Interests: HW is the Deputy Chair of the Advisory Board for Safer Gambling, which provides advice to the Gambling Commission on policy and regulatory issues. In the last three years, she has worked on one project funded by GambleAware along with SM. HW runs a research consultancy, providing research services to public and third sector bodies. She does not and has not provided consultancy services for the gambling industry. SM declares no further competing interests. Ethics Approval Statement: Ethical approval for the study was granted by London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine’s Ethics Review Panel (ref: 15960).

Gambling laws need an update to protect kids

Huge numbers of children are gambling online, the UK Gambling Commission reports. About 25,000 children aged between 11 and 16 meet the definition of a problem gambler, according to the commission's latest annual survey. And some 370,000 children in England, Scotland and Wales--12 per cent of the total--said they had gambled in the past week. The most common forms of gambling that children participate in take place in the physical realm, involving fruit machines, scratch cards or just making wagers with friends. Now, however, a type of online gambling called skin betting is also taking off, and a regulatory blind spot means children are able to easily take part. Here, Revell argues that we now need new laws that are properly adapted to the digital age.

Regulation and the management of risk in commercial gambling in Great Britain

The regulation of commercial gambling in Great Britain is the responsibility of the Gambling Commission, the regulatory agency created by the Gambling Act 2005. This article examines the risk model that it has developed in order to assess operator risks to the Act's licensing objectives. These are to prevent gambling from becoming a source of crime, to ensure that gambling is fair and open, and to protect children and other vulnerable people from being harmed or exploited by gambling. The article discusses four factors that affect the implementation of this model: operator compliance, the regulatory environment, the regulatory toolkit and the Commission's approach to its regulatory responsibilities. Its regulatory ideology sits squarely within the neo-liberal mode of regulation that has been pursued in Great Britain since the 1980s. By reference to political and public disquiet concerning gaming machines, the article analyses the tensions between the state, the regulator, the gambling industry and its consumers to which this mode of regulation gives rise. The article examines the challenges that the Commission faces in seeking to adopt a regulatory stance that is defensible both in terms of the protection of the public and the demands of a liberal market economy.

A Short Note on the Smith Commission: Proposals to Devolve Broadcasting and Telecommunications to Scotland

The Smith Commission completed its work in short order, producing an agreement that would see significant further powers devolved to the Scottish government and parliament. Amongst the arrangements were some additional powers for the Scottish government concerning the work of the Office of Communications (OFCOM), the independent regulatory authority for broadcasting, posts and telecommunications. Additionally, a ‘formal’ role was proposed for the Scottish government in the consultations over the forthcoming renewal of the BBC Charter. The Scottish Parliament is to have annual reports of BBC Trust and OFCOM laid before it, though it already receives these.Whereas, the Smith Commission omitted the appointment by Scottish ministers directors to important bodies, such as the Bank of England and the Gambling Commission. It also failed to recommend Scottish directors for the two other content regulators: the Authority for Television on Demand (ATVOD) and the British Board of Film Control (BBFC). The proposal for a Scottish director on the board of OFCOM is of doubtful effect, since the work of that body is subject to strong guarantees of its independence and any decision has to be defended before the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT). To increase Scottish influence, it would be necessary to have data and evidence submitted in response to the seemingly endless consultations conducted by OFCOM, something entirely absent. By making ad hoc and often confusing interventions, the Smith Commission lost the opportunity to consider systematic reforms, such a Joint Ministerial Committee for Regulation to coordinate input between the four administrations and joint committee of the legislatures to oversee the regulators.

REGULATING HARM - GAMBLING TECHNOLOGY AND THE CHALLENGES FOR GREAT BRITAIN

Livingstone & Adams 1 describe the consequences of the unprecedented experiment conducted by the governments of Australasia in the 1990s, when machine gaming was introduced on a large scale into local communities. The results of that expansion are now becoming increasingly clear, and should serve as a cautionary tale to government and regulatory authorities in this country as they come to terms with the new legislative regime of gambling. That said, the structure, geography and political economy of Britain's 248 000 machines 2 differs from those in Australia and New Zealand. Machines exist in a variety of locations. Some are concentrated in casinos, bingo halls, adult gaming centres and family entertainment centres, others dispersed in betting shops, pubs and clubs. Sizes of stakes and prizes also vary, with stakes ranging from £100 to £0.10 and prizes from £4000 to £5 (this refers to cash stakes and prizes only, and is based only on machines currently licensed in Britain: Category As, with unlimited stakes and prizes, do not operate at present). Like Australasian ‘pokies’, some machines are truly random, while others use a form of compensatory mechanism, providing guaranteed payouts over shorter time-periods 3. Certain structural features of these products—including reinforcement schedules, spin speeds and credit values—are designed to attract and retain customers or, in industry terms, to maximize ‘time on device’4, and have been shown to be associated with higher levels of harm than other forms of gambling 5, 6. British machines operate within a new legislative and regulatory regime 7, 8. The 2005 Gambling Act, implemented in 2007, swept away its predecessors' principle of ‘unstimulated demand’ and is based on the premise that ‘gambling is a massive global industry and is entitled to a regulatory framework that ensures continued growth’9. While creating a regulator to oversee the industry and ensure player protection, its market philosophy of competition and consumer choice has also brought about an expansion of gambling opportunities, participation and expenditure 10. The legislation emphasizes the notion of ‘individual responsibility’ as a means of controlling behaviour: an emphasis which, it should be noted, is promoted increasingly by the new coalition government in the field of public health issues 11 and which, as Livingstone & Adams point out, is not conducive to upstream public health interventions. While the legislation removed some machines from ‘ambient’ locations, it also allows the siting of up to four Category B2 machines in betting shops, with larger numbers permitted in casinos. B2s [previously Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs)] are electronic devices that offer a variety of games, with stakes up to £100 and prizes up to £500. The gross profit from these high-stake/prize machines in betting shops in 2008/09 was £1138 million. As a point of comparison, the gross profit on all other forms of betting-shop activity was £1717 million in the same period 2. These machines are associated with higher levels of problems than other forms of gambling: the national problem gambling helpline reported that 31% of their calls in 2009/10 concerned FOBTs, while another 18% related to other types of machines 12 (figures for FOBTs include the category ‘roulette machine’, which describes the same type of machine). An emerging trend appears to point towards the clustering of betting shops containing FOBTs in urban areas, creating concerns about impacts in low-income communities 13, 14. While the Australasian case described by the authors should serve as a case study on the risks of EGM proliferation, it needs to be remembered that the harms of these global products are mediated by a range of local factors, including product variations, location and regulatory controls. At present not enough is known about the interaction of these variables in this country. Research is now required—and is beginning 15 (see the Gambling Commission's programme of research into gaming machines)—to investigate the potential harms of the structural and distributional features of British machines, as well as the types of regulatory controls and interventions that may be required to ameliorate them. The author is Chair of the Research Panel of the Responsible Gambling Strategy Board, the independent body which advises the Gambling Commission on research and policy issues.

Internet Community & Entertainment Corp., d/b/a Betch.com v. Washington State Gambling Commission, No. 82845-8, 2010 Wash. LEXIS 715 (Washington, Sept. 2, 2010)

Internet Community &amp; Entertainment Corp., d/b/a Betch.com v. Washington State Gambling Commission, <i>No. 82845-8, 2010 Wash. LEXIS 715 (Washington, Sept. 2, 2010)</i>

The Gambling Act 2005: Regulatory Containment and Market Control

The Act marks a fundamental shift from legislative to market control of gambling. While plans for Las Vegas style casinos and internet gambling sites in Britain have suffered setbacks, restrictions on the availability, advertising and stimulation of demand for gambling, enshrined in the Gaming Act 1968, have been abandoned. In their place, a new regulatory body, the Gambling Commission, has been established to take primary responsibility for ensuring that three licensing objectives are promoted. These objectives are the prevention of crime and disorder, the conduct of gambling in a fair and open way and the protection of children and the vulnerable. The Commission has been given strong and wide ranging powers to regulate gambling, but can the safeguards proposed meet the challenge presented by a gambling industry released from restraints?

Follow the Money: Gambling, Ethics, and Subpoenas

On 3 August 1996, the National Gambling Impact Study Commission Act became law and established the nine-member National Gambling Impact Study Commission. Passed by unanimous voice vote in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, the gambling commission was the congressional response to a gambling industry whose influence threatened to overwhelm not only state and local governmental decision making but also the objectivity of the court system via test cases to expand gambling. This article examines the potential influence of the gambling industry and its lobbyists. There exist significant congressional fears that the gambling industry could be sufficiently powerful to change U.S. policy and the economy (locally, regionally, and nationally).