The Gambling Commission has introduced a new benchmark for measuring consumer confidence in Great Britain's gambling industry, with its first Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB) trust index recording an overall score of 47.9 out of 100 among people who gambled during the previous 12 months.
The new measure forms part of the Commission's broader effort to assess whether gambling is being conducted in a fair and open way under the objectives of the Gambling Act 2005.
Unlike the regulator's previous single-question approach, the latest framework uses a composite index built from five core themes identified through Consumer Voice research carried out with research agency Yonder.
These cover regulation and accountability, protection and safety measures, transparency and fairness, advertising and promotions and customer experience.
According to the Commission, stronger scores were recorded for regulatory accountability and consumers' understanding of gambling odds and promotional offers. Lower levels of trust were associated with perceptions of game fairness and the industry's ability to protect young and vulnerable people.
The regulator said the findings provide an initial baseline and remain "in development" while further validation work continues throughout 2026.
The research also identified clear demographic differences. Trust increased consistently with age, with respondents aged 18 to 24 recording the lowest levels of confidence and those aged 75 and over the highest.
Women and adults aged between 18 and 44 were also more likely to disagree that gambling companies are free from corruption, an issue the Commission said could be influenced by enforcement activity, wider media coverage and concerns surrounding illegal gambling.
Consumer experiences continued to influence confidence in licensed operators. The statement "It is quick and easy to withdraw and collect my winnings" received a trust score of 48.7.
The Commission noted that complaints relating to withdrawals and financial transactions accounted for around a quarter of complaints received by its contact centre between 2024 and 2025, reinforcing the importance of payment processes to overall consumer confidence.
The regulator also confirmed it is developing new GSGB questions examining participation in illegal gambling websites, with further findings expected later this year.
The latest findings arrive as the Gambling Commission continues expanding the GSGB as its primary evidence base for policy development following publication of its third annual survey. The regulator said tracking trust over successive years will help identify whether regulatory interventions and industry practices are improving consumer perceptions across different areas of the market.
Last month, the Gambling Commission sanctioned Spribe after determining the supplier required an additional hosting licence for its UK operations. The regulator said Spribe had co-operated throughout the investigation and implemented corrective measures following the earlier suspension of its licence.
The Commission plans to combine its new consumer trust index with forthcoming data on illegal gambling participation to better understand how unlicensed gambling influences public confidence
