UK Gambling on Rise Despite Recession

Figures just released by the Gambling Commission, the UK's licensing and regulating body, show an increasing acceptance of and participation in gambling.

Participation in Gambling
The Omnibus Survey highlights that 55.2% of the 7,000 sampled said they had gambled in the past four weeks.

Those participating in gambling were more likely to be male and aged over 45. By far the most popular gambling activity was National Lottery with 45.7% purchasing tickets and 10.8% trying their luck with scratch cards.

Remote Gambling
During 2009 10.5% of respondents reported that they had participated in at least one form of remote gambling. This figure has been steadily increasing year on year since the survey began in 2006, when just 7.2% enjoyed an online flutter.

Those participating in remote gambling were also more likely to be male than female, but, unlike traditional gambling, were generally aged 18-44.

Public Perception
A new element to the survey is the measurement of public perception on gambling. The survey found that 49.6% of the adults surveyed agreed that gambling in the UK is conducted fairly and can be trusted. This percentage was considerably higher among those who gamble. Less than half of all respondents (41.3%) agreed that gambling was associated with criminal activity.

The survey demonstrates the growing acceptance of gambling in the UK as well as its increasing popularity.