SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has issued its final call on evidence with regards to how it should reshape its research methodologies measuring UK gambling participation.
The consultation was launched on 18 December 2020, with the Commission seeking input from diverse stakeholders on its approach to gathering data and information on UK gambling participation and problem gambling prevalence statistics.
Closing today, the Commission underlined the importance of securing feedback as it works with the government on its ongoing review of the 2005 Gambling Act.
Revising its research methodologies, the UKGC seeks to provide the government with the most accurate data on gambling participation and further insights on elements influencing problem gambling.
“The Commission is ambitious about improving the quality, robustness and timeliness of our statistics. We, therefore, set out a commitment in our 2020/21 Business Plan to review our approach to measuring participation and prevalence and publish conclusions,” the UKGC’s statement read.
To date, the UKGC has compiled and produced its data in accordance with the standards and guidelines set out by the government’s ‘Statistical Service in the Code of Practice for Statistics’.
The need for ‘reliable facts’ on problem gambling statistics was called as an urgent requirement of the government’s Gambling Act review by the select committees’ of Lord Grade and Lord Foster.
Further to reviewing its research methodologies, the UKGC has launched open consultations on gambling affordability measures, safer gambling interactions and operators customer care duties and controls.
