Wednesday 28 February 2024
Channel Islands residents will have the opportunity to complete a survey regarding their interest and participation in lotteries and other gambling activities.
The survey has been developed for the Channel Islands Lottery to help inform the future decision making on CI Lottery games.
Jon Taylor, Senior Lottery Officer for Guernsey, said:
"Together with the recent Health Impact Assessment towards problem gambling released by Health & Social Care (HSC) in January, this survey and subsequent stakeholder engagement will help us develop the CI Lottery games in a safe and responsible way as we enter our 50th year in 2025 and beyond."
The Channel Islands Lottery is a joint operation between the Government of Jersey and States of Guernsey, who are both keen for players to have a positive experience and play responsibly.
The CI Lottery raises money to support local charities and good causes, through the proceeds generated by the sale of scratch card instant games and the Christmas Lottery draw game.
The operators would like to hear from adults (aged 18+) living in the Channel Islands, whatever their views and strength of feeling on the topic. The feedback will be used to inform decisions on the future direction of the Channel Islands Lottery.
The survey is supplementary to the broader Health Impact Assessment commissioned by Public Health and carried out by Liverpool John Moores University to assess the needs of the Guernsey population in relation to gambling.
This review was carried out by HSC because gambling has been identified as a UK Public Health concern. Research has shown that recreational gamblers are more likely to report poor physical and mental health and increased risk of health risk behaviours such as nicotine dependence, alcohol misuse and substance use.
From a Bailiwick perspective, further evidence is needed to a) understand the prevalence and types of gambling in Guernsey b) assess the impact on health and wellbeing and c) assess support available for at-risk and problem gamblers.
Mr Taylor said:
"We are consulting with addiction service providers and public health authorities in both islands to ensure we maximise this opportunity and help us develop responsible play initiatives and new game proposals that will continue to raise significant money for local causes but in safe and fun ways."
The survey is being conducted by Island Global Research on behalf of the CI Lottery. It is open to Channel Islands residents aged 18 and over and is likely to take around 10 minutes to complete.
It can be completed online using the following link: https://survey.islandglobalresearch.com/s3/CILottery2024
Residents can also contact Island Global Research on 01481 716227 or by emailing info@islandglobalresearch.com to arrange for the survey to be administered over the telephone.
