UK Government's Mistakes in Data Lead to Alterations in Discussions on Gambling Reform
The UK government recently published their much delayed gambling white paper, but now officials are claiming there were mistakes in the data presented about problem gambling rates.
One of the main indicators used to measure the success of operator-led responsible gambling initiatives is the "problem gambling" rate. This figure shows how many consumers in a certain market are at risk of, or already struggling with, gambling issues.
For many years, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has stated that due to their regulation, the problem gambling rate in the UK is low, staying around 0.02% since 2021. This figure is now at the center of the decision to extend the consultation period.
Initially, the white paper showed a problem gambling rate for slot players of 1.5% in the 16-24 age group. However, after more questions from industry members and further review, the government confessed they made an error with this figure.
It turns out that the 1.5% statistic refers only to male gamblers in that age bracket. The overall problem gambling rate for those aged 16-24 is 0.8%. This is actually 0.2% less than was reported by Health Survey England in 2018.
The rate is only for slot players and does not account for the overall problem gambling rate, which dropped from 0.04% to 0.02% from 2018 to 2021.
What's Happening Next
Due to the reporting error, the UK has extended the consultation period to allow industry members until October 4 to respond to the changes. This is two weeks later than the original deadline.
UK elections will happen in January after years of political and economic instability. There's a chance that more changes could be introduced or that the incoming government might scrap the entire plan.
Lack of Industry Standards
The UKGC has often cited the problem gambling rate when discussing the state of the UK's gambling industry. They note that this rate hasn't changed despite increased gambling activity.
The regulator revealed in August that they would be creating a new system for gathering more accurate data on gambling harm. This suggests that the UKGC's previous statements about the problem gambling rate weren't as precise as they should have been.
In an op-ed piece, UKGC head Andrew Rhodes criticized the industry's use of the problem gambling rate. He specifically targeted the use of the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), which the regulator uses to determine problem gambling rates. While there are standard questions in the index, there is no consistent way the industry uses it.
Rhodes stated that the PGSI results are based on the entire UK population, not just the gambling population, which is misleading. He also mentioned that the UKGC has only surveyed small sections of the gaming population and the results are probably skewed due to limited participation.
Lastly, he said that it's misleading to label some gambling types as "less risky" or "more risky."
Rhodes made a comment that could help the entire industry. He claimed, "Nobody is well-served by statistics being misused to further an argument."
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Source: www.casino.org
