Consistent trends in gambling activities, according to the United Kingdom Gambling Commission's latest report.
UK Gambling Commission's Fresh Research: Insights into Gambling Habits
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) recently released the latest wave of its extensive research, Gambling Behaviour in Great Britain (GBGB), providing a deeper understanding of the gambling landscape in the United Kingdom. This study covers all aspects of gambling, including participation rates, popular activities, attitudes, and potential risks faced by the adult population in Great Britain.
The Commission collaborated with the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) and the University of Glasgow to gather valuable data for this study. In 2024, the Commission published the first two datasets, titled "Wave-1" and "Wave-2," marking a significant step in understanding gambling behaviors. These datasets, collected from a total of 20,000 respondents each year, are considered the world's largest study of gambling behavior.
In the UK, 48% of adults participated in any gambling activity within the last four weeks. Online gambling saw a participation rate of 36%, with a 14% drop when considering only lottery-only players. In contrast, land-based gambling participation stood at 29% and fell to 18% when lottery-only players were excluded. A remarkable 19% of respondents participated in both online and land-based gambling activities in the past four weeks.
The research also highlights the most popular gambling activities. Lotteries, including National Lottery draws, held the lead with 31% participation, followed closely by charity lottery draws (15%), scratchcards (13%), betting (9%), and instant games (6%). These trends are consistent with those observed in the previous wave.
The study reveals that gambling is primarily motivated by entertainment or financial reasons, reflecting the diversity of individual gambling habits. This research will prove essential for various stakeholders, including the gambling industry, regulatory bodies, and researchers, as it helps establish a foundation for understanding gambling behaviors in the UK.
The Biggest Findings and Ongoing Trends
While the latest data focuses on Q1 2025, we can infer key trends in gambling behavior from these findings, which are likely to have been consistent in earlier years, including the 2024 research. Key trends in the gambling industry include the growth of online gambling, the increasing popularity of slot games, and rising concerns about gambling-related harms.
- Online Gambling Expansion: The Gross Gambling Yield (GGY) for online gambling increased by 7% to £1.45 billion in Q1 2025. This trend points towards a growing preference for online platforms[2][5].
- Slots Dominance: Slots have taken the lead in the online casino space, with a GGY increase of 11% to £689 million in Q1 2025. The number of spins and monthly active players also saw a 6% rise[2][5].
- Decline in Retail Betting: Licensed Betting Operators (LBOs) experienced a 3% drop in GGY to £554 million in Q4 2024-2025, indicating a shift towards online gambling[2].
- Player Engagement: The number of active accounts in the online sector increased by 2% to 13.5 million in Q1 2025, demonstrating sustained player engagement[2][5].
- Gambling Health Risks: There is increasing concern over the health risks associated with gambling, leading to calls for stronger regulations on advertising and sponsorship, and more comprehensive public information campaigns[4].
These trends suggest a continuing transition towards online gambling and increased focus on gambling-related harms. The 2024 research, though not directly outlined in the search results, is likely to have captured these trends as well.
- The growth of online gambling, as evidenced by a 7% increase in Gross Gambling Yield to £1.45 billion in Q1 2025, indicates a transition in gambling preferences towards online platforms.
- In the online casino-and-gambling sector, slots have experienced a surge in popularity, with a 11% increase in Gross Gambling Yield to £689 million in Q1 2025, suggesting a dominance in the online casino-games category.
- The decline in retail betting, demonstrated by a 3% drop in Gross Gambling Yield to £554 million in Q4 2024-2025, points towards a shift away from land-based gambling activities.
- The sustained player engagement in the online gambling sector, as shown by a 2% increase in active accounts to 13.5 million in Q1 2025, highlights a consistent trend in online gambling participation.
- As concerns over gambling-related harms increase, there are calls for stronger regulations on advertising and sponsorship, and more comprehensive public information campaigns, indicating a growing focus on addressing these issues in gambling trends.
