The UK Gambling Commission seek to improve their research methodology on problem gambling?

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) recently launched a new consultation to its research methodology used to collect data on problem gambling and participation amongst players in the UK. The new consultation is forecasted to launch February 12th and is aimed at aiding regulators to identify potential changes to its current approach in the gambling industry.

The news comes after the UK government? launched its Gambling Act review ?with Call for Evidence from UKGC a month ago.

The UKGC is looking for guidance and feedback from consumers, licensees, charities, organisation interested in the field of study, and academics.?

Highlighting that the proposal is outlined in the consultation document in replacement to the health, telephone, and online surveys with a method that the commission considers to be timely and cost-effective.?

The commission explained that:

We believe that the new approach will enable?us to set the standard for authoritative research into gambling

These sanctions include the ability to consolidate questions on the?participation of gambling and its prevalence in just a single survey while getting?responses from a greater percentage of the population.?The data collected is expected to represent the entirety of the British?population in England, Scotland and Wales.?

Additionally, the commission stated that the new research will be executed by a highly reputable provider in bid to assure operations follow official statistics production requirements as well as research industry standards are met.

Nonetheless, it should be noted that the regulator is allowed to carry out changes?to its research methods, making use of existing general population surveys or a?new survey built for the specifications of the research.??

The commission argued?that:

It is important to?emphasis?that whatever?option is chosen, ensuring objectivity and transparency in data collection and?reporting would be of great importance to us.

The commission and our lead?government department, DCMs, are designed to produce official statistics and?we are bound by the principles in the Code of Practice around trustworthiness,?quality and value.

In addition to this, we would seek advice on methodology?and questionnaire designs from independent research experts and would?publish full details of our survey design, response rates and quality assurance?processes.

In light of this new development, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on?Gambling-Related Harm praised the new review and the Vice-Chairman,?Ronnie Cowan said that the changes to the research are one of the legislative?changes he was hoping would arise.

In recent news, PM Boris Johnson announced on 4 January that England will enter its third and toughest lockdown since March 2020, forcing the land-based industry to close again.

Source:? iGaming Business?

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