UK Gambling Addicts Increasing In Number

The Gambling Prevalence Study reveals that the number of gambling addicts in Britain is on the rise. The study was commissioned in 2005 as a follow up to a 1999 study that reported "relatively low' levels of gambling addiction in the UK. Set to be published this month, the study cites the increasing popularity of online gambling as one of the main reasons for the increase.

According to the investigation, regular online gamblers in Britain account for nearly one third of the European total, putting the number at close to a million individuals. Average gambling expenditures, meanwhile, amount to £1,000. This means that UK gamblers now spend more than £1 billion a year online.

The report comes just after the enforcement of the controversial UK Gambling Act 2005 on September 1st. The results of the study are expected to intensify the pressure on ministers to crack down on online gambling websites that target under aged and vulnerable individuals.

In a statement last week, the Salvation Army stressed the importance of considering the human cost of gambling addiction. The GamCare charity, meanwhile, has criticized the government for not requiring its helpline to appear on gambling advertisements. In response, ministers responsible for the new gambling policy said that contact details of a new "advice and information" service will appear on betting advertisements.