UKGC Releases Files on Mental Health Survey
FOI reveals regulator's correspondence on the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, a key source for gambling harm data.
The UK Gambling Commission has disclosed internal communications regarding the 2023/24 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey. The release provides insight into the regulator's use of national health data to understand and address gambling-related harm.
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The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has released internal correspondence relating to its involvement with the 2023/24 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (APMS), following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.
The disclosure, dated 4 July 2025, provides a glimpse into the regulator's communications regarding one of the UK's most important sources of data on mental health and its connection to gambling.
Why This Survey Matters
The Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey is a major national study that provides essential data on the prevalence of mental health conditions and gambling behaviours among adults in England. Unlike the UKGC's own participation surveys, the APMS is a cornerstone of public health research, used by government departments and health organisations to understand trends and shape policy.
For consumers, the data gathered in the APMS is critical. It helps to build an accurate picture of gambling-related harm across the country, informing the very regulations that are designed to protect players. The UKGC's engagement with the survey is therefore a key indicator of its evidence-based approach to regulation.
Details of the Disclosure
The FOI request asked for all correspondence and memoranda held by the Commission concerning the 2023/24 APMS for the period between 1 September 2024 and 4 July 2025. In response, the UKGC released a 6.6 MB PDF file containing the requested information, but with some redactions.
The Commission stated the outcome was a "Partial exemption," explaining that certain information was withheld. Key details include:
- Personal Data: Information that could identify individuals, such as names, job titles, and email addresses, was redacted under Section 40(2) of the FOIA to comply with data protection laws. This is a standard and expected practice in FOI responses.
- Excluded Information: The UKGC noted that it did not include routine items like meeting invitations or media reports in the disclosure, focusing instead on substantive correspondence.
The release of these internal communications, even in a redacted form, offers a degree of transparency into how the regulator interacts with and utilises crucial national health data.
Significance for Regulation
The UKGC's involvement with the APMS underscores the increasing focus on public health in gambling regulation. The evidence derived from this survey directly influences the Commission's understanding of problem gambling prevalence and its links to mental health issues.
This data is fundamental to developing and evaluating regulatory policies, such as affordability checks, marketing restrictions, and safer gambling messaging. By releasing these documents, the UKGC provides insight into the early-stage discussions and considerations that ultimately shape the rules operators must follow and the protections consumers receive.