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According to a report by the gaming Commission, many UK players use gaming to escape reality

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In a special research based on data from the Gambling Survey for Great Britain, the UKGC identified the primary motivators for UK gamblers, with escapism being one of the driving causes.

On January 30, the UK Gambling Commission published an addendum to the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB) report, which was released in July. The poll is the first complete analysis on gambling activity in Britain, including the primary motivators for players across several verticals.

This latest research, which draws on findings from the Reasons for Gambling Questionnaire (RGQ), examines the relationship between various gambling activities and the reasons for participating in them. 

The RGQ consisted of 15 questions about the reasons why GSGB participants gambled. People who had gambled in the previous 12 months were asked to rate how frequently their main motivation for gambling was their primary incentive across all activities indicated. They had the choice of choosing ‘always’, ‘often’,’sometimes’, or ‘never’.

According to the GC, this poll should give the sector with “a better understanding of the association between motivation and activities, [which] is critical in understanding both general gambling behaviour as well as its consequences.”

The poll is based on data obtained from 9,742 persons aged 18 and older between July 2023 and February 2024. 


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What motivates gamblers?

According to the GSGB data, the vast majority of people who gambled in the previous 12 months (86%) did so with the intention of winning substantial money.

The second most popular reason for playing was ‘because it is entertaining’, with 70% citing this as their primary reason. Other motivations include making money (58%), and ‘because it is thrilling’ (55%).

‘To impress others’ received the smallest percentage of answers (8%), while 9% gambled to compete with others.

Up to 24% of respondents stated that they gambled to socialise

Notably, the reasons for gambling varied across age groups. For example, only the 18 to 24 age group prioritized having fun over winning big. This was the primary reason given by 83% of players in this category, followed by 79% of those who won big.

There was also some variation in the prevalence of playing. 39% of respondents who indicated they had gambled frequently in the previous four weeks claimed they did it to win big, 22% to make money, and 15% for amusement. 

Breaking down behaviors by vertical

A Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to simplify the data and provide a value to each explanation within a broad group of behaviors. These five types are: gambling for social reasons, enhancement reasons, financial reasons, recreational reasons, and coping reasons.

In terms of online betting, the model utilized determined that individuals surveyed stated that enhancement was the most important motivation for playing.

According to the UKGC, gambling to cope with and/or escape from one’s daily life is most closely related with online sports betting and/or racing. For those who bet on sports and/or races in person, the most strongly connected reason for gambling was the challenge. 

Gambling to cope or escape was also the primary motivation for individuals who played online bingo, casino games, and slots.

Casino games, both online and in-person, were most commonly connected with individuals seeking a challenge or escape as motivations for gambling participation.

Online casinos have a higher link to escapism than casino games played in person (at a casino) or on a machine. 

Gambling for social purposes

Those who gambled in person were more likely to have social motivations. In-person bingo and casinos received the greatest ratings, whereas sports betting had little correlation with social factors.

According to the research, players who gambled for social reasons were less likely to place online bets on sports and/or racing.

When broken down further, the data reveals that money was not the primary motivator for most actions. “The exceptions tended to be activities relating to the National Lottery; tickets, scratchcards, or online instant wins; products that have potentially large winnings,” the Commission claimed. 

Source: Investigating the relationship between reasons for gambling and different gambling activities

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Agatha Johnson
Agatha Johnson
Agatha Johnson is a U.S.-based journalist with a sharp wit and extensive experience in writing. With a strong focus on the gaming industry, she brings a fresh and engaging perspective to her work.

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