New Government Study to Explore the Impact of Gambling in the UK
2 minutes
Last Updated: February 24, 2022
In the UK, the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, or the NIESR for short, will be studying the social and economic impacts of gambling.
The main goal of the research project on gambling is for the government to review the 2005 Gambling Act.
Although the effects of gambling on the economy and society are to be explored, there will also be a focus on the effects gambling has on individuals and communities.
NIESR to Compose Economic Assessment Regarding Gambling Figures
The NIESR wants to compose an economic assessment in which the economic consequences of gambling become clear through research and theoretical models.
The project is to run during the next few months and will end just before summer 2022.
After all research is done and calculations are made and checked, a full report will be published on government websites.
Professor Adrian Pabst will be the lead of the research team that will consist of a number of academic experts in economics, health and tax experts, and various other government representatives.
He commented that gambling plays a huge role in the economy of the United Kingdom but that the government doesn't really know its benefits, costs, and potential harm to citizens.
Mr. Pabst, therefore, hopes the assessment will map this out in great detail.
Dr. James Noyes, who is the Chair of the Advisory Board, said the NIESR is perfectly capable of conducting complex economic analysis and that he is very glad to see the NIESR offering its expertise to investigate the dangers of gambling among UK citizens.
The NIESR firmly believes that this project will show exactly how much of an impact gambling has on household finances in the UK.
The project will use a unique computational model collected from previous research by think tanks and health professionals to provide an economic assessment of live and online gambling.
Different Policies & Scenarios to Be Simulated
The NIESR will be able to simulate different policy options, as well as outline specific scenarios if no action is taken. This makes it possible to calculate in detail what exactly the economic consequences of gambling are.
An advisory board of ten of the top academic economists and health experts will assist the research team.
This will ensure that the research remains consistent and can be used by politicians when it comes to the UK's national strategy to tackle problem gambling.
How Big of a Problem Is Gambling in the UK?
The Public Health England organization (PHE) examined how problematic gambling really was in the United Kingdom in September 2021.
They found that about half a percent of the population has a gambling problem.
In addition, 3.8% of the population is in the danger zone, and 7% of all adults are negatively affected by other people's gambling behavior.
The research found that the most educated people gamble the most. However, most problem gamblers reside in less affluent populations.
It is a common pastime among the unemployed and people who live in deprived areas. Public Health England, therefore, makes the link between problem gambling and economic inequalities.
The new government study carried out by the NIESR will bring more clarity into the actual harm caused by gambling and will provide the government with the data and numbers it needs to potentially adjust the 2005 Gambling Act accordingly.
