Gambling, both online and offline, is a popular pastime for thousands of people in Wales. In 2018, the UK Gambling Commission conducted a survey to assess the gambling behaviour of Welsh players. Here are some of the key findings.
Wales Online Gambling Statistics and Regulations
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) is the governing body that regulates online and offline gambling in the UK, including Wales. Occasionally, the commission releases statistics on gambling activity in Wales and the rest of the UK. In the most recent survey from 2018, in which around 4,000 people were interviewed, the UKGC found that around 52% of adults had spent money on gambling in the past 12 months.
The National Lottery was by far the most popular form of gambling in 2018. When people who have only played in the National Lottery are excluded from the survey results, the overall gambling participation rate in 2018 was 38%. Scratch cards are the second most popular form of gambling, especially among those aged between 25 and 34.
Here are some of the key findings from the survey:
- 52% of people in Wales gambled in 2018 (compared to 55% in 2016)
- 7% of people in Wales identified as problem gamblers (compared to 0.8% in 2016)
- 53% of men had spent money on gambling compared to 50% of women
- Only 5% of respondents had participated in any online gambling
The survey shows that National Lottery draws and other lotteries are most commonly played by people aged between 45 and 74, and scratch cards are most popular for those aged between 25 and 34. Online play is highest for young adult males.
The UK Gambling Commission also regulates the UK gambling sector. Companies are required to have a gambling license in order to offer lotteries, scratch cards, online casinos and other forms of gambling in the UK. This license is in place to give the commission the ability to monitor the sector and the power to apply new regulations. Companies that are not in compliance with the requirements and rules set out by the commission risk losing their license or face substantial fines.
The UKGC has put forward several regulations in order to protect players at risk over the last few years. Earlier this year, they introduced a regulation that stops players from making deposits with a credit card. The most recent regulation was added in October 2020, which banned “quick spins” or “stop spinning” at online casinos. This required online casinos and online game developers to implement a few seconds break between each spin on slot machines. Its purpose is to promote responsible gambling.
New rules and regulations may be coming soon, and there are many speculations. The UKGC could, for example, target casino bonuses next. Bonuses such as the Televega casino bonus are very popular among online gamblers, and these types of bonuses could be banned or restricted in the UK in the future. Some are also speculating that the UKGC will add a max bet limit on slots and table games. Only the future can tell whether the new regulations will have any impact on the gaming habits in Wales.
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