Figures released by the Gambling Commission are showing the percentage of adults having a flutter has reached a new high. Gaming Intelligence reports that over the four weeks to December 2011, 57.3% of the 4,000 adults surveyed said they’d taken part in at least one form of gambling. Of that number over half were playing the National Lottery. That’s a jump from 55.5% in 2010 and 55.2% in 2009. The figure shows that people are starting to consider different sectors of the entertainment industry as the economy continues to be in an uncertain position.
Staying with the British lottery industry, the rumblings of discontent are continuing around Richard Desmond’s Health Lottery. Voluntary groups are pleading with the government to adopt new legislation to prevent charity lotteries operating on a nationwide basis. The Gambling Commission doesn’t think the move is likely, as it would require secondary legislation being introduced alongside the Gambling Act 2005 – something that is already in the process of being amended.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport, told Financial Mail: “We are aware that there are a growing number of such lotteries. We have no plans to introduce secondary legislation unless there is evidence they are having a detrimental effect.”
Much of the criticism leveled at Desmond is that his Health Lottery only donates 20p in every £1 to charity. This is in stark contrast to the Hospice Lotteries Association that hands over 60p in each £1 and the National Lottery that gives as much as 28p for each £1.
