Sunday, 8 December 2019

Over Half Of All English People Gambled Last Year, New Survey Finds

Gambling Addiction

A new survey has found that half of all people in England gambled last year.

Figures from the Health Survey for England 2018 found that 53% of all people aged 16 and over in England gambled at some point in 2018, including participating in the National Lottery. Results from the survey found that 60% of those who had gambled in the last 12 months were aged 45 to 54 while only 39% were aged 16 to 24.

Among men, the Health Survey for England found that the age group that gambled most last year was 25 to 34 at 65% while the lowest was age group 16 to 24 at 45%. For women, the age group that gambled most in 2018 was the 55 to 64 group at 59% while the 16 to 24 age group gambled the least at 33%.

What’s more, the study discovered that 15% of men had participated in online gambling in the last 12 months compared to only 4% of women. The age group that participated in online gambling the most was 25 to 34 for both sexes after which participation gradually declined among older age groups.

The new data has led Simon Stevens, the Chief Executive of NHS England, to issue a statement warning players of the dangers of gambling addictions. He said: “These new stats are a stark reminder of how common gambling is in our society and how easy it is to become addicted, particularly with the aggressive push into online gambling.

“The NHS never stands still as health needs change, which is why we’re rolling out new specialist services to tackle mental ill-health linked to gambling addiction, as part of our long-term plan. But it is high time that all these firms who spend many millions on marketing and advertising step up to the plate and take their responsibilities seriously.”

The Health Survey’s Other Findings

In addition to surveying the country’s behaviour towards gambling, the survey, which interviewed over 8,000 adults and over 2,000 children across England, also took a look at other health issues. For example, the study found that 10% of all men and 5% of all women in England drank alcohol almost every day over the last 12 months.

According to the survey, older age groups were more likely to drink regularly as 11% of women and 16% of men in the 65 to 74 age group drank almost every day compared to just 4% of men and 2% of women from the 25 to 34 age group.

The Health Survey of England 2018 also examined eating habits. It found that 28% of adults and 18% of children ate five or more portions of fruit and vegetables each day. The report highlights a 2% increase in the number of men and women who were diagnosed with diabetes by a doctor (7%).

What’s more, the survey found that 27% of all adults in England reported less than 30 minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity, that 43% of all adults reported one longstanding medical condition, and that over half of all adults in England were at risk of chronic disease due to their BMI.