Gambling Commission extends GSGB survey contract for four years

The Gambling Commission has secured continuity for its flagship research programme by awarding a four-year contract extension to deliver the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB) through 2029. The contract, spanning 2026 – 2029, goes to the existing partnership between the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) and the University of Glasgow.

The announcement on 25 November 2025 ensures uninterrupted operation of what has become one of the largest and most comprehensive gambling surveys globally since its 2024 launch. The GSGB serves as the official source of statistics on gambling behaviours across Great Britain.

Survey impact and scope

Since launching in 2024, the GSGB has delivered unprecedented insights into gambling patterns across Great Britain. The survey enables the Commission to track behavioural trends over time while producing detailed thematic analyses covering motivations for gambling, characteristics of frequent gamblers, and correlations between specific activities and Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) scores.

The University of Glasgow's analytical contributions have proven particularly valuable in developing these topical reports, which have enhanced understanding of gambling behaviours across the jurisdiction.

"We are honoured to have been trusted by the Gambling Commission to lead on the delivery of the GSGB. We worked closely with the Commission to design a state-of-the-art survey and are pleased to be able to continue the GSGB journey with the Gambling Commission and the University of Glasgow."

— Mari Toomse-Smith, Director of Health and Biomedical Surveys at the National Centre for Social Research

The survey's significance extends beyond immediate data collection, with Toomse-Smith emphasising its broader infrastructure role:

"GSGB plays a pivotal role in the UK gambling data infrastructure, and its potential will only grow with each new survey year."

— Mari Toomse-Smith, Director of Health and Biomedical Surveys at the National Centre for Social Research

Methodological enhancement plans

The contract renewal enables continued refinement and enhancement of survey methodologies. Professor Heather Wardle from the University of Glasgow highlighted plans for advancing the survey's capabilities, particularly through data integration and longitudinal analysis approaches.

"We're especially well placed to do this, having led methodological innovation on understanding gambling for the last 20 years"

— Professor Heather Wardle

The next phase will explore opportunities for longitudinal research and data linkage, potentially transforming how behavioural changes are tracked over extended periods. This aligns with the Commission's evidence roadmaps, which prioritise developing robust data foundations for regulatory decision-making.

Regulatory research priorities

Tim Miller, Executive Director of Research and Policy, emphasised the survey's transformational impact on regulatory understanding:

"The Gambling Survey for Great Britain has already transformed our understanding of how people gamble, providing richer, more reliable insight than ever before. We are pleased to award this new contract to NatCen and the University of Glasgow, whose expertise has been central to the GSGB's success so far."

— Tim Miller, Executive Director of Research and Policy

— Tim Miller, Executive Director of Research and Policy

The four-year extension reflects the Commission's commitment to evidence-based regulation, with plans to strengthen the survey's analytical capabilities and expand its research potential through deeper analysis and longitudinal studies.

Strategic implications for industry oversight

This contract extension signals the Commission's long-term commitment to comprehensive data collection as a regulatory foundation. The GSGB's evolution from initial launch to established infrastructure demonstrates the regulator's systematic approach to understanding gambling behaviours across different demographics and activities.

The planned integration of longitudinal research capabilities could provide operators and regulators with unprecedented visibility into how gambling patterns evolve over time. This enhanced analytical capacity may inform future regulatory frameworks and compliance requirements, particularly regarding harm prevention and consumer protection measures. For operators, the survey's continued development represents both an opportunity for industry-wide insights and potential implications for regulatory expectations based on emerging behavioural data trends.

According to UK Gambling Commission.