04.10.2019
Dynamics of Ukrainians’ attitudes towards gambling
- According to a survey conducted by Rating Group, only 11% of respondents believe that gambling should be legalized in Ukraine without any restrictions. 27% support legalization provided that special gambling zones are created, while nearly 60% oppose legalization under any conditions.
- Almost half of respondents believe that lotteries should be permitted in Ukraine. About one quarter support allowing sports betting and casinos (with attitudes toward casino legalization having improved). The most negative attitudes are toward the legalization of online casinos (12%), slot machines (12%), and card games for money (11%).
- 25% of respondents consider themselves gamblers, while the majority (73%) do not. Gambling propensity is higher among men, younger people, and those with higher incomes.
- Over the past two years, the share of people who consider themselves gamblers has not changed, but attitudes toward gambling overall have worsened.
- Only 28% have a positive attitude toward gambling without monetary stakes or winnings (down from 46% in 2017). About two thirds view such games negatively (up from 49% in 2017).
- Attitudes toward gambling for money are overwhelmingly negative: just 10% view it positively, while 85% are negative. More tolerant views are found among self-identified gamblers, particularly men of younger and middle age—among whom positive attitudes toward gambling for money (16%) are almost three times higher than among women (6%).
- The vast majority (84%) reported not personally gambling for money in the past five years. Meanwhile, 3% did so frequently, 9% several times, and 3% once.
- Over the last two years, the proportion of respondents who gambled for money has remained largely unchanged.
- Nearly half of self-identified gamblers reported gambling for money at least once in the past five years—typically younger and middle-aged men with relatively higher incomes.
- The most common forms of gambling among those who played were lotteries (31%) and sports betting (29%). About one quarter played slot machines and card games for money; one in six played online casinos, and one in ten visited casinos.
- Among those who do not gamble, the most common reasons are the belief that money should be earned, not won (48%), and distrust of gambling organizers (about one third).
Methodology
- Audience: residents of Ukraine aged 18 and older. The sample is representative in terms of age, gender, region, and settlement type.
- Total sample: 2000 respondents.
- Personal formalized interview (face-to-face).
- The margin of error does not exceed 2.2%.
- Fieldwork dates: September 27-30, 2019.
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