New polling for the Coalition to End Gambling Ads (CEGA) has shown a striking lack of public support for expanding gambling, with just three per cent of Britons saying the government should aim to grow the industry.
More in Common’s most recent poll on public attitudes to gambling found that 63 per cent of people believe the government should treat gambling differently from other sectors and accept less growth to reduce harm.
“This poll shows the last government’s repeatedly stated aim of growing the gambling sector was at odds with the views of the vast majority of the British public,” says Will Prochaska, Director of the Coalition to End Gambling Ads. “The smartest move now for a government wanting to keep pace with voters would be to end all gambling advertising.”
The August 2026 poll of more than 3,000 adults, weighted to be nationally representative, found that a majority of Britons wanted the government to reduce the amount of gambling or ban it altogether.
The appetite for reducing gambling is not confined to non-gamblers. Among those who gamble, 38 per cent say the government should reduce gambling or ban it altogether, while only six per cent want to see the sector grow.
The public also has significant concerns about the impact of gambling on communities. Almost half of Britons – 47 per cent – say gambling shops are bad for their area, compared with just seven per cent who say their impact is positive. Around seven in ten Britons – 69 per cent – say councils should have the power to turn down applications for new gambling premises.
“Andy Burnham’s proposed scrapping of the ‘aim to permit’ principle, which has made it incredibly difficult for councils to block gambling venues, is exactly the kind of reform the public wants to see, but it must only be the start,” says Will Prochaska.
The polling also found low levels of trust in the gambling sector. Almost two-thirds of Britons (64 per cent) say they do not trust gambling companies to act responsibly towards their customers.
Public support for an outright ban on gambling ads also increased, growing from 52 per cent in 2025 to 57 per cent in this most recent poll. This is in line with the recent findings of the House of Lords Liaison Committee, which called for a comprehensive ban on advertising.
The polling paints a clear picture: the public has serious concerns about the size and influence of the gambling sector and wants greater action to reduce harm.
“The public has shown what it thinks of the gambling sector,” says Will Prochaska. “There’s clearly strong support for reducing gambling harm, and one of the most obvious ways to do that is to act on gambling ads.”