The UK is one of the world’s top-performing markets in the online gambling industry and the leading European nation. Online gambling includes playing at online casinos and wagering bets at online sportsbooks. The industry is regulated by the UK Gambling Commission and, at the end of 2022, was valued at over $7.8 billion. The industry’s growth is expected to reach $11 billion by 2028. UK players love playing at online casinos, and the industry’s popularity is growing exponentially. Discussed below, we explore UK citizens’ online gambling habits and health concerns based on a recent survey by Minimum Deposit Casinos.
Survey Methodology
The study’s main objective was to investigate online gambling habits and health concerns within the UK, Canada, New Zealand, and the US. A total of 404 participants, aged 18 and above, who had reported having participated in online gambling activities more than once in their lifetime were recruited from the UK, Canada, New Zealand, and the US. The data were collected using a survey platform and employed quantitative research methodology. The data collected was coded in Excel Spreadsheet and imported to SPSS for analysis. Descriptive data were analyzed and presented through figures and tables. The study addressed four research questions:
- What are the demographics of online gamblers in the UK, Canada, New Zealand, and the US?
- What are the common health issues associated with online gambling?
- What are the demographic differences between the UK, Canada, New Zealand, and the US?
- What are the age differences or gender in the gambler’s experiences?
The key findings from the survey found that most online gamblers from the four countries were women; however, the prevalence of men was higher in Canada and the US compared to the UK and New Zealand. The results also showed that most participants aged between 18 and 29 commonly used mobile devices to conduct their online gambling activities. The results also revealed that online gambling was highly associated with health concerns such as anxiety and depression, headaches, and many others.
The study did have some limitations, such as the final results being skewed towards females, as 53% of participants were female compared to 46% being male. The data obtained was not proportional to the target population because some participants may not be involved in online gambling, which may affect the validity of the results. The results may lead to disparity based on age and gender disparities among participants, which means there is no sample representative.
Online Gambling Habits
Most UK participants preferred conducting their online gambling activities using their mobile devices. Most participants from Canada, New Zealand, and the US preferred playing with mobile devices as well. With the continuous technological advancements and the fast-paced lifestyle of many, it makes sense that mobile devices are the number one choice among most participants for online gambling. Mobile devices allow players to play from anywhere and anytime while multitasking.
Most UK participants claimed to have engaged in online gambling a few times a week, similar to participants from Canada and New Zealand. However, in contrast, most US participants answered that they spend less than once a month gambling online. It is surprising to find that most US participants claimed to engage in online gambling activities less than once a month, but this could be based on several reasons, including the availability of online casinos in the country, as most US players are restricted from accessing some of the best online casinos.
Online Gambling Health Concerns
The survey results for UK participants regarding online gambling health concerns were based on online recreational gambling and excessive online gambling. Recreational gambling is considered fine by many, but excessive online gambling can lead to a gambling problem and addiction. The top five health concerns experienced by UK participants while engaging in online gambling were; anxiety or depression (44%), headaches or migraines (41%), neck or back pain (30%), sleep disorders or insomnia (28%), acne or other skin issues (26%). Anxiety or depression, headaches or migraines, neck or back pain, and sleep disorders or insomnia were among the top five health concerns experienced by most participants in Canada, New Zealand, and the US. These are all common health concerns online gamblers will experience, and it is not surprising to find them in the top five categories. In contrast, the biggest differences in results regarding health concerns were with social isolation and wrist or hand pain. More participants from Canada, New Zealand, and the US experienced social isolation and wrist or hand pain while online gambling than UK participants.
This article explored UK citizens’ online gambling habits and health concerns based on a recent survey by Minimum Deposit Casinos. Based on the survey findings, UK citizens’ online gambling habits seem to be in check, and there is no considerable risk of addiction among most UK gamblers. However, with online gambling, there will always be some risks involved for addiction and problem gambling. We recommend the UK Gambling Commission and operators promote and implement responsible gambling tools and initiatives for UK players to access, such as deposit limits, loss limits, self-exclusion, and cool-off periods. All these tools will help players ensure a safe, fair, and enjoyable online gambling experience.