“This new framework gives us greater agility and reach than ever before,” said UKGC head of research Laura Carter.
“With these four partners, we’re better equipped to commission high-quality research quickly and use a range of approaches to respond to emerging trends or risks as they develop.”
Under the new model, Yonder Consulting, the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT), Humankind Research, and Savanta have each signed two-year contracts to contribute targeted research and analysis.
Their remit includes improving insight into harder-to-reach or underrepresented consumer groups, including individuals experiencing harm from gambling.
Mounting pressure
The relaunch of the Consumer Voice programme comes at a time of mounting pressure on the UKGC’s broader research activities.
Earlier this week, the UK’s statistics watchdog, the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR), published a critical review of the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB) — the UKGC’s flagship data set on gambling harms.
The OSR review identified “significant areas for improvement,” warning that the GSGB may be overstating rates of gambling participation and harm compared to other official datasets, such as the Health Survey for England.
These discrepancies, the watchdog cautioned, risk misleading policymakers and fuelling disproportionate responses.
A tool to test policy ideas
The UKGC said the Consumer Voice programme is designed to provide “more targeted and flexible research” than the GSGB.The regulator added the programme allows for “deep dives into specific topics and testing of new policy ideas.”
In 2024, the programme engaged with more than 10,000 gambling consumers, with studies focused on financial risk checks, bonus incentives, and gambling during the cost-of-living crisis.
Each of the four new research firms brings a specific focus to the initiative.
Yonder Consulting, which has worked with the Commission since 2021, will continue delivering mixed-methods studies.
“We’ve ed on a wide range of impactful research programmes, covering elements of the consumer experience like trust in the industry, engagement with the unlicensed market, behaviours during key sporting events and the impact of marketing and bonus offers,” said associate director Joe Wheeler.
The BIT team will contribute its expertise in experimental design.
“We’re excited to contribute our expertise in experimental research to generate new insights, address key evidence gaps, and help ensure consumer voices shape meaningful and effective gambling policy,” said BIT senior advisor Eleanor Collerton.
Humankind Research, a consultancy focused on hard-to-reach audiences, will lead qualitative studies, while Savanta, which specialises in fast-turnaround research, will the Commission in monitoring shifts in consumer opinion.
“We can ensure the Commission stays on the pulse of consumer opinion and behaviours,” said Olly Wright, head of public at Savanta.
All four suppliers are contracted through to 2027, with an option to extend their engagement until 2029.
