Online slots cause gamblers the most trouble
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Online slot machines are the largest cause of gambling issues for Brits, with the number of people seeking support related to online cash games close to doubling in the past five years, research from the National Gambling Helpline found.
Three in five (60%) of those who reported difficulties with online gambling said online slots were one of the most prominent activities involved, with the figure jumping from 34% in 2018/19, according to data from charity GamCare, which operates the National Gambling Helpline.
As the government reforms the gambling industry with plans to introduce maximum stake limits as well as tighten monitoring and support for those losing significant amounts, research found more than 4,000 thousand people called the gambling helpline for help with online gaming.
Gamblers’ issues with betting exchanges, like Betfair where users place bets against other players, also experienced a spike, with the proportion of helpline calls regarding the issue jumping from 0.3% to 7.6%, while concerns related to cryptocurrency lifted from 0.02% to 2.17%.
Online sports betting appears to be causing less trouble for players, with only 20% of calls focusing on this area of gambling, down from the 34% figure in 2018-19.
Colin Walsh, GamCare’s lived experience manager, said: “There is still a perception that gambling harm predominantly comes from betting on horses or sports events.
“In the past five years, we have broadly seen a trend where people often start gambling on these activities but eventually transition into other areas of online gambling, where it can be easy to lose sight of how much time and money is being spent."
