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<p>The Gambling Commission is continuing to monitor gambling behaviour during the
Covid-19 period. Survey data published by the Commission in January indicated that
87% of women gamblers have gambled the same amount or less during the pandemic than
they had previously. The Commission recently wrote to operators to remind them of
its guidance issued in May 2020, which requires them to increase protections for those
who may be at heightened risk of gambling harm. That guidance directed operators to
monitor customer behaviour more closely to identify signs of potential harm, and banned
mechanisms by which customers could cancel requests to withdraw money from their account.</p><p><strong>
</strong></p><p>The Gambling Commission also conducts a quarterly telephone survey
of gambling behaviours which collects data about problem gambling prevalence. The
most recent wave of that survey was carried out in September, and aggregated results
for the year to September 2020 estimated the problem gambling rate amongst women to
be 0.3%. This is higher than the rate estimated for the year to September 2019 (0.1%),
but lower than the rate estimated for the year to March 2020 (0.4%). Caution should
be used when interpreting these figures due to the low numbers of respondents involved.
Much of the data for the year to September 2020 was collected prior to the Covid-19
period, and problem gambling is measured using questions which ask about past year
experiences and behaviours, so it is not possible to accurately assess the relative
impact of the pandemic on fluctuations in currently available data. The Commission
will publish the next wave of telephone survey data later this month, which will give
figures for the year to December 2020.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The government
launched its Review of the Gambling Act 2005 on 8th December with the publication
of a call for evidence. The Review will be wide-ranging and evidence-led, and aims
to make sure we have the right balance for regulation and appropriate protections
for all vulnerable people.</p><p><strong></strong><br><br></p><p> </p>
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