The modern gambling industry is changing as more people use online platforms, mobile services, and digital payment systems. Alongside this technological shift, questions about equality, accessibility, transparency, and representation are becoming increasingly important. Recent data from Great Britain provides a closer look at who participates in gambling and where differences between groups can still be seen.
The Gambling Commission’s latest statistics show that gambling remains a widespread activity. Its 2026 participation data found that 49% of adults in Great Britain had participated in some form of gambling during the previous four weeks. When people who only took part in lottery draws were excluded, the figure fell to 28%.
Different Groups, Different Gambling Patterns
The numbers show that gambling participation is not evenly distributed across the population. In the January to May 2026 survey, 53% of men reported gambling during the previous four weeks, compared with 44% of women. The difference was particularly noticeable in betting, where 16% of men reported participating compared with 4% of women.
At the same time, participation was more similar between men and women for activities such as scratchcards and online instant-win games. These differences demonstrate why discussions about inclusion need to consider different types of gambling rather than treating the entire market as one group.
Age is another factor. The latest figures found that overall gambling participation was highest among people aged 45 to 64, at between 56% and 59%. When lottery-only participation was removed, people aged 35 to 44 recorded the highest participation rate at 35%.
Transparency Is Becoming Part of the Conversation
Inclusion is not only about who can access gambling services. It also involves whether information is understandable and presented clearly.
Research published by the Gambling Commission in 2026 found that only 19% of people who had gambled during the previous 12 months agreed that gambling activities, offers, and odds were clear, easy to understand, and not misleading. Half disagreed with the statement.
The research also found differences between men and women. Men were more likely to agree that activities, odds, and offers were clear, at 22%, compared with 15% of women. Women were more likely to disagree, at 54%, compared with 48% of men.
These findings put greater attention on plain-language explanations, accessible website design, and clearer presentation of terms and conditions.
The Industry Is Growing While Expectations Change
The wider market continues to expand. Gambling Commission figures show that Great Britain’s customer-facing gambling industry generated £17.5 billion in Gross Gambling Yield during April 2025 to March 2026, representing a 4.4% increase from the previous financial year.
As the industry grows, equality and inclusion are likely to remain part of the wider conversation around how gambling services are designed and presented. Making information easier to understand, improving accessibility, and recognising differences in participation can help create a market where consumers have clearer information about the products they encounter.
The latest statistics do not provide a single measure of inclusion across the gambling industry. Instead, they highlight several areas, including gender differences, age patterns, accessibility, and consumer understanding, that continue to shape the modern gambling landscape.
