Online gambling is a favorite pastime among millions of people around the world.
Trying to win instant prizes is a fascinating prospect, which many find lucrative. Even so, gambling comes with an inherent set of risks that, in the worst-case scenario, can even lead to financial ruin.
In this article, we explore some of the recent Gamcare findings about gambling problems spiking up during the Christmas period in the UK in 2024.
The Effects of Christmas on Gambling
Christmas is often referred to as the most wonderful time of the year. At the same time, many adults feel that the holiday season also stresses them out with additional financial woes and increased social pressures. In other words, not everything gets better or easier when Christmas and Santa Claus come around.
According to Gamcare, their recent YouGov survey revealed that 59% of the people normally experiencing gambling problems said they were more—not less—likely to gamble during Christmas than any other time of the year. Alarmingly, this was a quite significant increase to 37% the previous year.
Unfortunately, the increase in gambling problems has long been a growing trend. In December 2023, there was already a 39% yearly increase in National Gambling Helpline online chats and phone calls. The numbers for December 2024 for the popular helpline have recently been released showing a new record of 55,228 calls and online chats from people experiencing gambling harm in 2023-24 – a 25% increase from the previous year.
Potential Reasons for increased Gambling during the Holidays
There are multiple potential reasons as to why gambling problems tend to increase during the holidays. Online casinos like Uudetnettikasinotmalta and many others are very popular among people looking for game-related entertainment and can become addictive.
Next up, we have compiled some of the reasons put forth by Gamcare as well as other possible sources.
1. Christmas is a Time for Spending
People nowadays tend to look at Christmas differently than they did just a couple of decades ago. Some claim that Christmas is merely a capitalistic holiday meant to get people to spend more money on materialistic grounds. It is a time when people buy a lot of stuff they do not need and that will ultimately end up in the trash. Naturally, this type of overspending can lead to more pollution and adverse effects on the climate.
On the same token, many people still feel pressure to spend money on Christmas gifts for their kids and their loved ones. Because of this, more people may also be trying to gamble to win more money to solve their financial needs.
A good gambling win is all the more welcome when you are already short on funds and have many things to spend money on.
2. People have more Money during Christmas
Christmas and its increased need for funds do not usually come as a surprise. Most people are already prepared to spend more money during Christmas time. According to one helpline adviser mentioned in the Gamcare article, “an extra temptation to gamble can stem from most people having an early December payday.” In other words, since people already have more money in their possession, they may be inclined to take more risks.
Those with gambling problems often look at having money as a chance to win even more money. At the very least, more money will allow for a little bit less stress at the start of gambling, although this could also end up spiraling out of control with massive losses.
3. People have more Time during Christmas
For many people, Christmas stands for a few days off from work. This increase in free time can be looked at as an increased time to have fun and gamble. Whenever the daily routine becomes disturbed, people will need to find alternate ways to spend time. For gamblers, this may mean more time and more money spent on gambling.
Conclusion
Gambling is a hobby that can easily be taken too far. Those who are already struggling may end up suffering from all the changes that Christmas brings, whether it be increased time or budget, or even social and societal pressures.
It is recommended for any gambler out there to always plan ahead to stay on the safe side, and never gamble more than you can afford to lose.
