Gambling in the UK: share your experiences – The Guardian

Do you place bets online or gamble in bookies? Tell us about your experiences. Photograph: Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images

Britons lost an estimated 12.6bn through gambling last year, the equivalent of almost 300 per person. Whats more, 48% of people questioned by the Gambling Commission admitted to gambling at least once in the previous month.

This comes at a time when online gambling is soaring in popularity. People can now gamble from home or while on the go without having to go to a specific venue. They can bet on football matches or games. However, according to academics we dont know enough about the effects on gambling on those who do it.

Whats more, problem gambling is estimated to cost the UK up to 1.2bn. A recent report, commissioned by charity GambleAware and written by the IPPR thinktank, has charted the costs associated with problem gambling, such as mental health services, police intervention and homelessness.

We want to hear from readers, workers, experts and those who place bets about the gambling industry. Do you gamble online or gamble in bookies? What draws you to it? Do you work in the industry? How has it changed? Do you think there should be more regulation? Share your stories and experiences with us.

Here is the original post:

Gambling in the UK: share your experiences - The Guardian