British Gambling Commission Research Exposes Gaps in Operator Delivery of Consumer Gambling Information

The British Gambling Commission has published research examining how gamblers define informed choice. Conducted by the Behavioural Insights Team and introduced by Commission Strategy Manager Donna Bateman, the study drew on 53 evidence sources, three deliberative focus groups and four in-depth interviews with people at higher risk of gambling harm.

Participants made a consistent distinction between information being available and actually feeling informed. Key details often proved difficult to locate, unclear or delivered at unhelpful times. The research, as covered by Focus Gaming News, found that making information available does not equate to enabling informed decision-making.

Shortcomings in Current Information Practices

Consumers reported that information becomes obscured during fast-paced sessions, whether online or in land-based venues. Operators tend to treat all customers as a single group, overlooking differences between new and experienced gamblers. The study flagged assumptions about customer understanding of gambling odds and probabilities, noting gaps in odds literacy that hinder comprehension.

Generic safer gambling messages were seen as easy to ignore. Some participants viewed operators as prioritising administrative transparency and compliance over proactive protection for those at greater risk of harm. Attitudes toward responsibility varied by stage of play, with support for a shared model that shifts toward greater operator intervention during active gambling.

Revised Framework and Regulatory Implications

The report proposes defining informed choice as an ongoing ability to understand and act on relevant information throughout every stage of gambling. Rules, risks, costs and mechanics must receive equal prominence with promotional offers. Support should adapt to individual experience, capabilities and circumstances, accounting for product design, speed and emotional state.

Personalised approaches garnered support but raised concerns over use of personal and behavioural data, which can fuel targeted marketing and breed distrust. Sports bettors resisted forced interruptions more than casino players. The findings will shape the Commission’s future consideration of whether existing standards match real player engagement.

This signals operators face pressure to move beyond minimum compliance toward genuinely usable, tailored information delivery.

Reporting: Focus Gaming News

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