New benchmarking tool for gambling regulation is a global first
Published: 8 December 2025
A new benchmarking tool for gambling regulation launched by University of Glasgow experts is the first of its kind worldwide.
A new benchmarking tool for gambling regulation launched by University of Glasgow experts is the first of its kind worldwide.
The Global Gambling Control Scorecard (GGCS) is designed to help researchers, regulators, and civil-society actors assess how comprehensively different countries regulate gambling and protect people from related harms.
Developed by Gambling Research Glasgow (GRG) at the University of Glasgow, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and international partners, the tool offers an international framework for comparing national regulatory approaches to gambling.
GGCS covers 34 European jurisdictions and brings together over 40 indicators covering not only traditional regulatory mechanisms, licencing, legal status, illegal-gambling prevention, but also policies aimed at harm prevention, cross-sector collaboration (including mental health and financial education), harm-monitoring systems, and funding for prevention and treatment.
The full dataset and codebook are now publicly available, giving stakeholders the opportunity to benchmark national regulatory frameworks, identify gaps, and advocate for reform.
Heather Wardle, Professor of Gambling Research and Policy at the University of Glasgow said: "The Global Gambling Control Scorecard, which compares regulatory policies for gambling across Europe, is a vital tool for anyone interested in how gambling is regulated internationally, and learning about what is happening in other countries.”
Daria Ukhova added: “Too often, regulatory efforts focus on encouraging “responsible gambling,” placing the burden on individuals. This detracts attention from the systemic issues, such as availability and accessibility of gambling, product design, marketing, and other industry practices that significantly amplify people’s risk of harm.
“A previous global review that we led at GRG found that even when harms are acknowledged in legislation, action often remains narrowly focused on individuals rather than structural safeguards.
“I hope the Scorecard will help shift the attention to these structural issues, and will prove useful for researchers, regulators, and civil society actors around the world working to prevent gambling harms."
By mapping dimensions such as legal status and regulatory regimes, measures to prevent illegal or unlicensed gambling, harm-prevention and multisectoral policies, prevention and treatment availability, regulatory controls, harm-monitoring systems, and funding mechanisms , the scorecard enables a richer understanding of where countries excel, and where regulation remains patchy or outdated.
Although the current version of the GGCS covers European jurisdictions, the team hopes to expand its scope globally with further funding and collaboration.
First published: 8 December 2025