Kantar recently published TGI figures reporting that 65% of GB adults have played either Lotto, Euromillions or scratchcards in the last 12 months – up from 55% in 2019. Perhaps the pandemic contributed to this, with a dabble on the lottery a welcome distraction from lockdown.
TGI data held within AMSR allow us to examine longer-term trends for each game individually. Following their launch in 1995, both the National Lottery (subsequently rebranded as Lotto) and scratchcards were supported at a consistent level for many years. Lotto’s player base dipped from over 60% to 50% in later years; scratchcards peaked in 2002 but otherwise held steady at almost a quarter of adults. Euromillions, launched in 2004, added an extra option which soon had over 40% participation, although it too dropped between 2012 and 2017.
The decline in players from 2012 to 2017 was matched by a drift from 64% to 60% in agreement with the statement “I welcome the National Lottery’s contribution to charitable causes”. Tracking further back, we see a notable drop in those saying they definitely agree: from 29% in 2002 to 17% in 2017. Perhaps decreasing positivity in sentiment became reflected through lower participation in the games themselves.
Even so, more than half the adult population actively play one or more games. With the operator licence due to switch from Camelot to Allwyn Entertainment in 2024, the lottery still has a strong presence.
Dame Dianne Thompson, a former CEO of Camelot Group and Past President of the Market Research Society, is a great supporter of the AMSR. As she observes: “By showing what has gone before, this archive can help us avoid wasting time on reinventing techniques that have been used before. It allows us to build on our predecessors’ experience — to see what worked, and equally importantly, what didn’t”.
Sources:
TGI (Target Group Index) is a continuous survey which has been carried out in Great Britain since 1969, based on 25,000 adults per annum, who provide information on their use of all major products, brands and services. Media exposure, attitudinal and demographic data are also included. Kantar, who own and operate TGI, have made major donations of data to AMSR. To explore the TGI archive within AMSR, click here: Target Group Index – The AMSR Online Archive (oclc.org)
Contributed by Geoff Wicken
Date posted: 28th November 2022