he Commission tasked ICM Research to survey 2,000 adults every quarter and found that 9.3 % of the 8,000 respondents had participated in at least one form of remote gambling over the previous month. This compares with last year’s figure of 8.8 % and 2006’s 7.2 %. However, 90.5 % of respondents said that they had not participated in any form of remote gambling with 0.2 % answering with a ‘don’t know’ response.
Those participating in remote gambling remain more likely to be male than female between the ages of 18 to 44 while taking part via a computer, laptop or handheld device remains most popular at 7.5 %. This is followed by gambling via a mobile telephone at 2.7 % and interactive/digital television at two percent.
The Commission revealed that the 0.5 % in growth is explained largely by increased online participation in the National Lottery. It stated that 5.4 % of respondents had participated in remote gambling in the year to September of 2008 if those playing only National Lottery games remotely are excluded.
This compares with 5.2 % last year and 5.1 % in 2006 with the Commission stating that 6.7 % of respondents said that they had bought tickets and gambled remotely on the National Lottery in the previous month.
