The UK Gambling Prevalence Study has shown a major increase in online gambling despite showing no increase in the number of problem gamblers and the level of gambling in general.

The report has indicated that 3.5 million people regularly gamble online - a rise of an amazing 600 percent in the last 5 years.

The report had also found that 6 percent of the population use the Internet to gamble and just 3 percent of the UK’s 32 million gamblers do so online.

The figure of 32 million gamblers in the UK (68 percent of the population) is down on 1999 where the figure stood at 33 million (72 percent of the population) due to the decreasing popularity of the National Lottery. 65 percent of the population participated in the National Lottery in 1999 and today that figure is 57 percent.  It seems the big increase in online gambling has propped up the industry.

The gross revenue of the industry now stands at an estimated £9.3 billion.  It is also thought that bingo players alone stake a staggering £1.8 billion a year.

The Gambling Prevalence Study has found that 99 percent of people gamble responsibly.

However, it found the number of problem gamblers standing at 250, 000 or 1 percent of UK gamblers.  This is lower than the United States and Australia but roughly the same as Canada, New Zealand and Sweden.  However, it is higher than Norway.

It seems that the introduction of online betting has had no impact on the amount of problem gamblers in the UK, contrary to popular belief, and if anything the problems have decreased in relative terms due to the fact that gambling is now much more widespread.

Although there has been no increase in the number of problem gamblers since the 1999 survey, the government is still considering action to tackle the problem.

It is considering the introduction of an addict tax on gambling companies to help those in debt because of their online gambling.

Culture Minister Gerry Sutcliffe said, “While the results show that problem gambling still only affects a small minority of people, it remains a serious issue and one which must be addressed.”

“I have therefore asked the Gambling Commission to review the current voluntary arrangements for industry funding of gambling research, treatment and public education.  I expect the commission’s review to include comment on funding levels, how the money is spent, and whether a statutory levy should be considered.”