FOI Reveals LSE's Role in Shaping Gambling Survey
UKGC releases documents showing expert academic feedback on the new Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB).
A Freedom of Information request has revealed documents detailing the London School of Economics' feedback on the UK Gambling Commission's new national gambling survey. The release shows a collaborative effort to refine the methodology for measuring gambling harm, which will underpin future consumer protection policies.
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A Freedom of Information (FOI) disclosure has shed light on the collaboration between the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) and the London School of Economics (LSE) in developing the new Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB).
The documents, released following a request on 17 December 2025, reveal a detailed review process undertaken by LSE experts on the guidance for the UKGC's flagship survey.
Why This Matters
The GSGB is set to become the new benchmark for measuring gambling participation and harm rates across Great Britain. The accuracy and credibility of this survey are vital, as its findings will directly influence future government policy and regulatory decisions aimed at protecting consumers. The involvement of a respected academic institution like the LSE is intended to ensure the survey's methodology is robust and statistically sound.
What the Data Reveals
The request asked for all documents exchanged between the UKGC and the LSE during 2025, including draft reports and guidance documents. The UKGC granted a partial release, providing seven documents while citing specific exemptions for the information it withheld.
The released files primarily consist of summaries of comments and feedback on the GSGB guidance, dated throughout August and September 2025. The document titles include:
Summary of Comments on Revised GSGB guidance(multiple versions from August 2025)Summary of Comments on Revised GSGB guidance clean PS(multiple versions from August and September 2025)Stakeholder Presentation - NatCen TemplateSummary of Comments on Webinar Q and A
This series of documents indicates an iterative process where LSE academics provided feedback, the UKGC revised its guidance, and further comments were made. The inclusion of a stakeholder presentation and webinar Q&A summary suggests this academic review was part of a wider consultation process.
Redactions and Exemptions
The UKGC redacted personal information from the documents, such as the names of individuals involved in the correspondence, citing Section 40 of the FOIA to protect personal data.
Furthermore, the Commission did not provide copies of a specific LSE report titled "Three Experiments on the Causes of Differences in Estimates of Gambling and Gambling Impacts in General Population Surveys." It cited Section 21 of the FOIA, stating the report was already publicly available through a previous FOI disclosure and is therefore reasonably accessible elsewhere on the UKGC's website.
Significance for Consumers
This disclosure provides transparency into the development of a critical tool for gambling regulation. It shows that the UKGC is actively engaging with academic experts to refine its methods for collecting data on gambling behaviour and harm.
For consumers, a more accurate and methodologically sound survey means that future policies—from affordability checks to marketing restrictions and public health messaging—will be based on a more reliable picture of the gambling landscape in Great Britain. The thorough review process highlighted by this FOI release aims to build confidence in the data that will underpin consumer protection for years to come.