Gambling in Britain is one of the legal spheres of the economy controlled by the state. Gambling has been Britain's most popular pastime for centuries, and horse racing has been a major sport for three centuries.
Of course, in modern British law, the main emphasis in gambling is put on the social component and safety of players. That is why the vast majority of Brits see gambling as a form of entertainment and betting as a part of lifestyle presuming safe and responsible gambling.
This was once again confirmed by the results of a sociological survey conducted in April this year by the British company Entain - the largest manufacturer of gaming equipment. Within the framework of the research, Entain wanted to find out how British gambling skills have changed during quarantine related to COVID-19.
And although the topic of the British poll is somewhat different from the one researched by the Ukrainian Gambling Council in its study - "Attitudes of Ukrainians to gambling" – common trends are obvious.
1. The least active population in terms of gambling in both Britain and Ukraine are people over 55.
In Britain, for example, only 28% of those who place bets are people aged 55+. Mostly middle-aged people play.
In Ukraine, the share of respondents who would like to gamble in at least one type of gambling in the future, among respondents aged 55 and over is 1.7%. As among the British, the greatest preference for this type of entertainment is given by middle-aged Ukrainians (13.3%).
2. Respondents who support gambling, in particular betting, associate themselves with sports and have a positive attitude to the fact that gambling companies help to develop sports.
Over 90% of Brits who like to bet consider themselves sports fans. At the same time, 63.2% of Ukrainians said "yes" to the legalization of the gambling business in support of the argument that bookmakers sponsor the sports industry - football, hockey, basketball, and other sports.
3. Betting, in particular online, is one of the most common types of gambling in which respondents are willing to take part or participate.
Thus, among Ukrainians, most of those who expressed willingness to gamble for money, prefer betting (4.5%, the highest percentage compared with other types of gambling). The British traditionally prefer particularly this type of gambling.
Due to coronavirus restrictions, online activities became more popular in many areas of life, and gambling is no exception. According to the British Gambling Commission, quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic had a positive impact on the online casino market, which grew significantly along with total gross gambling revenue, which increased by 29%.
And the main thing that significantly distinguishes British respondents from Ukrainian ones is the willingness to gamble.
If in Britain 78% said they bet at least once a week, among Ukrainians only 7.2% of respondents#nbsp;expressed their willingness#nbsp;to gamble at least in one game for money in the future.
The main reason for such a big difference is that Britain is historically more loyal to gambling as a form of entertainment. Stable business conditions and socially oriented laws help the British gambling market to grow and enrich the national economy. When business is conducted responsibly, players feel protected.
While Ukraine is just embarking on the path of socially responsible gambling, an important role in the formation of the industry should be given to sociological research.
Such an approach will help the state and operators to decide in which directions to move and what principles to follow so that the Ukrainian gambling industry takes a significant place in the global arena, and Ukrainians perceive gambling as a transparent, albeit specific type of entertainment.