Data · Scope · Method
Reading gambling statistics: populations, dates and units
Site counts, participation rates and betting turnover describe different things. Read the definition and scope before giving a figure more precision than it supports.
Name the unit before comparing
A brand, domain, licence holder and venue are different units. One holder may run several domains; a town may contain several casinos. Our directory keeps these separate instead of adding them into one operator count.
Fictional example: three companies with five domains each mean three companies and fifteen domains. Neither number means fifteen independent choices of company.
Separate observation, publication and access
Observation dates describe the reporting period. Publication makes results available; an access date records when you opened the source. Accessing an old file today does not confirm current venue opening.
For a participation rate, check age, territory, reporting period and collection method. Self-reported survey answers and transaction logs measure different things. A national value does not automatically describe your town or family.
Recalculate percentages using their denominator
Fictional example: 120 positive answers from 400 people give 120 ÷ 400 × 100 = 30%. This describes those respondents. Sampling, non-response and weighting are needed before extending the result to a wider population.
Moving from 20% to 25% is five percentage points but a 25% relative increase: (25 − 20) ÷ 20. Writing only ‘+5%’ makes the comparison ambiguous.
Separate money flows from individual risk
Deposits measure money entering an account; turnover includes money staked again. A €20 deposit may support more than €20 of total stakes. Market statistics and average returns therefore do not determine an individual loss.
Differences between groups do not establish their cause. When sharing a figure, keep its official URL, table name, period, unit, denominator and main limitation. Mark missing fields rather than replacing them with guesses.
Practical reference
Four questions for every figure
Reusable reading sheet for a register, survey or account summary.
| Question | Record | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| What? | Domain, person, stake, venue | Mixing units |
| Who and where? | Population and territory | Generalising beyond scope |
| When? | Observation and publication dates | Confusing old with current |
| How? | Method and denominator | False precision |
Apply the method to our datasets
Sources and data describes register scope; the tools separate account flows from turnover.
Official sources
Frequently asked questions
Does an official source guarantee current information?
It establishes provenance, but you must also check reporting period, version and scope. A dated file remains a snapshot of that period.
Is five percentage points a 5% increase?
No. From 20% to 25%, the difference is five points and the relative increase is 25%.