GambleAware Survey Shows Public Advocate for Signposting Gambling Support on Lottery Tickets

Many consider the National Lottery to be a low-risk option compared to other forms of gambling; however, it does not come without risk. Currently, over 600,000 players are facing gambling-related issues.

One player says, “When I gave up gambling and self-excluded myself from places I could gamble, the one thing I couldn’t bar myself from was playing the lottery in shops. When I got a craving in my early recovery, I bought £450 worth of scratch cards.”

The National Lottery is played by millions every week. It has a broader reach than other forms of gambling, such as online casinos and sports betting, due to the ease of access to the product.

In 2022, the House of Commons Culture, Media, and Sport Select Committee called for the National Lottery to signpost gambling support services; however, this has still not been implemented as of 2025. The National Lottery does not signpost these services, unlike other charity lotteries available to the public, which are heavily regulated by authoritative governing bodies such as the UKGC.

Research from GambleAware’s Annual Treatment and Support Survey showed that 84% of the public agree that the National Lottery is a form of gambling. Furthermore, 46% disagree that the National Lottery products are harmless. When it comes to signposting support services, 74% think that the National Lottery should include them on their products to offer support to those who may be struggling. From the same survey results, 69% of the public believe that adverts for the National Lottery should include signposting.

A member of the chair of trustees for GambleAware, Andy Boucher, had this to say about the matter, “…it is there to do good in the community, and so we believe it is also the right thing for it to look after the people who play the National Lottery.” The National Lottery has historically given back to communities across the country, but GambleAware believes they should be doing more to help players.

Andy Boucher also said, “This is why we are calling for clearer signposting on the National Lottery’s products and advertising. The signposting we want to see is already a minimum standard across other charity lotteries, and we believe that it is only right that the National Lottery adopts them, as an organisation whose purpose is to benefit good causes and have a positive effect on society.”

Regulated casinos ensure that their players are aware of the responsible gambling tools available to them. It will be interesting to see if the National Lottery takes note of feedback, adopts new practices, and safeguards players who may have gambling-related issues.