Problem gambling rates in decline as significant affordability response revealed

Rates of problem gambling may be on the decline, the Gambling Commission has said, but the industry regulator warned operators that did not mean they could take their "foot off the accelerator".

The commission last week released its latest official statistics on participation and prevalence, which showed the problem gambling rate in 2020 was 0.3 per cent, compared to 0.6 per cent in 2019, 0.5 per cent in 2018, 0.6 per cent in 2017 and 0.7 per cent in 2016.

The study was based on a survey of 4,007 UK adults between March and December last year.