More than half of online gamblers hold multiple betting accounts, ESRI study finds

Almost four in ten people who open an online gambling account for horse or sport betting go on to other forms of gambling, like slots or casino games, new research has found.

The research surveyed 1,000 gamblers and was conducted by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) and commissioned by the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland.

The research provides one of the most detailed pictures of gambling behaviour and consumer experiences in Ireland to date.

It found that 77% of respondents had gambled online in the last year, 44% gambled both online and in person, and 59% gambled in person.

Many gamblers would have multiple accounts, with over 50% saying they opened a second online account and around 10% of online gamblers had four or more accounts. Many cite good odds, easy registration and promotional offers as some of the most common reasons.

Over 25% of online gamblers had said that they “lost a lot”, compared with 17% of in-person gamblers.

The research also found that gambling displaced other parts of their lives, with one in five gambling sessions interrupting other activities like work or family time.

Pete Lunn, head of the ESRI’s Behavioural Research Unit, said: “Many consumers gamble for entertainment without experiencing harm, but our previous research for the GRAI found that 1 in 30 adults in Ireland now experience problem gambling, with many more at risk of harm. This new study sheds light on the pathways that people take that may ultimately lead them to harm. It raises issues of what online consumers are signing up for and whether they know and understand that.”

Anne Marie Caulfield, CEO of the GRAI, said: “International developments in gambling practices to identify issues of concern which may give rise to an increase in harmful gambling.

“For us to identify practices of concern and to assess the effectiveness of regulations, we need to understand the real-life experiences of consumers when they gamble in their everyday lives, and increasingly in online environments. It is within this context that the GRAI commissioned the ESRI to undertake research to capture a real-world understanding of gambling behaviour.

“This research confirms the need for new obligations which will be placed on licensed operators, particularly around account opening and closing requirements, and the ability to set spending limits and advertising restrictions. The research highlights specific challenges associated with online accounts. More than half of online account holders are gambling using multiple accounts, often simultaneously across different platforms. Our focus will be on practical and proportionate protections, including marketing standards, effective account controls and self-exclusion arrangements, while ensuring that regulation responds appropriately to developments in how people gamble.”