The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) is facing scrutiny from the UK’s statistics watchdog over concerns about potentially overestimating the number of problem gamblers in the country. The Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) conducted a full review of the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB) following claims of flawed data collection and interpretation methods. While the review identified four areas for improvement to align better with the Code of Practice for Statistics, it did not accuse the UKGC of breaching statistical standards.
The GSGB often reported higher gambling addiction levels in the UK compared to surveys like the Health Survey for England (HSE). The UKGC attributed this discrepancy to the “social desirability bias,” suggesting that people tend to under-report negatively perceived behaviors, such as gambling addiction, in face-to-face interviews. Professor Patrick Sturgis, in a 2024 review, warned of a non-negligible risk of GSGB substantially overstating gambling and harm levels, partly due to a higher response rate from gamblers when surveys explicitly mention gambling. The OSR noted that these cautions were not prominently displayed to inform readers of the data’s uncertainty.
Responding to the report, UKGC director of research and statistics Ben Haden welcomed the OSR’s findings and acknowledged the recognition of their work in developing the world’s largest survey of its kind. The UKGC has started implementing some report recommendations, updating user guidance, and testing survey methodology issues. However, the response received criticism for not admitting shortcomings. Analysts at Regulus Partners criticized the UKGC for failing to acknowledge past missteps, stating that the response either misinterpreted or misrepresented the OSR’s review, which could hinder building trust.
- SCCG Management. The Gambling Industry’s Global Connector. Access Here.
- Source: SCCGManagement.com