UK Gambling Commission's research reveals varying degrees of harm in survey responses related to gambling activities
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has found that online self-completion surveys, such as the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB), report higher problem gambling rates than traditional face-to-face interviews. This discrepancy is primarily due to the absence of an interviewer, which reduces social desirability bias and interviewer effects, leading respondents to more openly report gambling behavior and problems.
Professor Patrick Sturgis, who led the UKGC study, stated that while no single study will enable us to determine the 'true' values for key gambling estimates, these findings make an important contribution to our understanding of how different survey design features influence the results obtained.
One key factor explaining the difference is the interviewer presence. Face-to-face interviews may suppress honest reporting due to embarrassment or social desirability, whereas self-completion allows greater privacy and less inhibition in disclosing gambling behaviors.
Another factor is the survey invitation and framing. How gambling is mentioned in survey invitations and the presentation of updated gambling activities can influence response rates and disclosure of participation and harms.
Methodological differences also play a significant role. The UKGC acknowledges that different survey formats inherently yield varying participation and problem gambling estimates, making it impossible to measure these precisely through a single survey approach alone.
In response to these methodological challenges, the UKGC is refining survey design, improving communication about the limitations and risks of these data, and undertaking further research and quality assurance to support more rounded and accurate evidence on gambling harms.
The study found that updating gambling activity lists to include new products had no significant effect on reported gambling participation or PGSI scores. The research also revealed that explicitly mentioning gambling in survey invitations did not affect overall response rates but led to a 4% increase in reported gambling participation.
The rate for those scoring one or above on the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) was almost a 50% higher in online self-completion surveys compared to telephone interviews. Interviewer presence had a substantial impact on reported PGSI scores, with a 4.4% higher rate for those scoring one or above on the PGSI in online self-completion surveys compared to telephone interviews.
The UKGC's research director, Ben Haden, stated that the study provides important insights on the impact of different survey methodologies in relation to gambling. The study conducted by Professor Patrick Sturgis helps build confidence in the outputs of the GSGB and will improve the Commission's guidance for users.
However, the GSGB's higher recorded harms rate has been criticized, with the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) warning that the results of the UKGC's surveys could overstate the extent of problem gambling. In response, the UKGC has stated that it will improve how it communicates the risks and limitations of its surveys.
The UKGC intends to continue refining the GSGB, accessing different datasets, and collaborating with other survey producers to create a comprehensive evidence base for its work. The research findings suggest that individuals with a personal interest in gambling are more likely to participate in surveys that explicitly mention gambling.
In conclusion, the higher problem gambling rates reported in online self-completion surveys reflect methodological effects related to anonymity and respondent comfort rather than necessarily indicating a real increase in problem gambling prevalence compared to face-to-face interview data.
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