UK gamblers are mainly gambling because they want to win big. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

The UK Gambling Commission has completed new research to determine the reasons why people gamble. It has revealed that the majority of UK gamblers are not as interested in having fun as they are in financial incentives.

The findings are the result of the Gambling Survey of Great Britain (GSGB), a research project sanctioned to uncover details on consumer behavior. The UKGC started it with the intention of completing the largest survey on gambling behaviors by a regulatory authority, with a staggering 20,000 respondents. Using this data, the UKGC has published a short report on the reasons for gambling.

fun was chosen as the main reason by 70%

The most common reason for gambling among respondents was the chance to win big money. Around 86% of people opted for this in the past 12 months, and 90% in the past four weeks. Meanwhile, fun was chosen as the main reason by 70% over the past 12 months and 72% in four weeks, placing that reason as second overall.

Financial motivation placed third again, but with the option of gambling to simply make money. Around 58% of respondents chose this in the past year, and 63% in the previous four weeks. Other additional motivations also came up. In 12 months, excitement was referenced by 55% of respondents, gambling with family and friends referenced by 35%, and using gambling as a sociable activity was 24%.

Among the least common reasons for gambling were impressing others, competing with others, and relieving tension.