1 in 3 people in Wales want to hide their gambling from colleagues

A new report has found almost half of the population in Wales has gambled in the past year.

The research, conducted by the polling company YouGov, also revealed one in three working adults in Wales (35%) would prefer to keep the extent of their gambling hidden from their colleagues.

The report, commissioned by 'Reed in Partnership', is calling on employers to take more action to support staff who may struggle with problem gambling.

According to the figures the problem is having an impact on the UK economy too, with 3% of adults in Britain knowing someone who has lost their job because of problem gambling, and many others who are out of work because of their compulsive behaviour.

There are thought to be around 35,000 Fixed Odds Betting Terminals across the UK, and with bets of up to £100 allowed to be placed every 20 seconds, it means a problem gambler could lose up to £1,500 in just five minutes.

Scotland has the most frequent gamblers, with more than a quarter of adults there gambling at least once a week.

Read more: Support service launched for problem gamblers in WalesRead more: Drinkers more likely to gamble, says report