Gambling Statistics UK
By Toni Maglovski / March 1, 2022
In recent years, the gambling industry has seen a steady increase in the United Kingdom (UK). This is partly due to the rising number of online gambling sites, which have this favourite pastime more accessible than before. This article covers important information on some gambling statistics UK has to help you understand how the industry works.
Top 10 Fascinating Gambling Statistics in The UK
- As of 2019, the gambling industry in the UK was worth £14 billion
- Gambling is a common hobby for people between 35 and 55 years
- By 2020, there were 24 million adult gamblers in Britain
- In 2019, there were 2,838 new gambling permits
- The most popular method of gambling is the National Lottery
- In the past month, about 47% of adult British citizens engaged in a form of gambling
- In 2018, online gambling mage a revenue of £5.6 billion
- In 2020, there were about 1.4 gambling addicts
- During the lockdown period, close to one-third of gamblers admitted to trying new gambling activities
- Every week, the average Brit spends £2.60 on gambling
Gambling Statistics In The UK
- Gambling comes in various forms, including gaming machines, betting on horse races, sports betting, and participating in the National Lottery. According to a study from the Finder, 47% of Brits participated in some form of gambling activity every month. In 2020, there were 24 million recognised gamblers in the UK, with nearly a third of them reporting to have tried new gambling activities during the lockdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Brits spend an average of £2.60 per week on gambling. And according to some gambling in the UK statistics, the gambling market, including gambling machines, has grown exponentially over the past years, with its current market size worth nearly £13 billion.
- While men have a higher participation rate, the number of women getting into gambling is quickly growing. UK female gamblers have risen by a third in the past five years. Studies show that gambling is a popular hobby for male and female adults aged 35-55 years. However, because of fast-rising online gambling sites, this activity is rapidly becoming a favourite among younger adults between 25-34 years. Most seniors above 65 years are also known to gamble frequently. Although it is illegal for anyone below 18, there has been a sharp increase in underage gambling recently, with 39% of teenagers admitting to partaking in gambling activities in the past year alone.
- Unfortunately, according to some statistics on gambling addiction UK, nearly 1% of the UK gambling population suffers from problem gambling and other gambling disorders. About 1.4 million Brits are problem gamblers and struggle with gambling addiction and other gambling-related issues. The numbers concerning gambling participation and what age group gambles the most are varied. According to problem gambling UK statistics, the largest percentage of problem gamblers in the UK were aged between 35-44 years, with men being more susceptible to problem gambling than women, with some gambling-related hospital cases.
- Problem gambling doesn’t just involve losing money. Gambling problems and gambling addiction can potentially get in the way of your work, school, or other activities. Per gambling UK statistics, 15% of people have admitted to partaking in online gambling while at work. Problem gambling also harms your physical and mental health, hurts your finances by accruing gambling debt, and can cause problems in your relationship with family and friends.
- Sports fans are more likely to gamble during sporting seasons, with football being the most popular sport for betting. However, UK gambling statistics show that the most common form of gambling in the UK is the National Lottery. The UK gambling commission statistics also contribute to this information. Unfortunately, less than 3% off problem gamblers in the UK get help.
Gambling Industry Statistics Non-Remote
- According to UK gambling industry statistics, the gambling industry is worth £12.5 billion, with the most profitable non-remote sector being the National Lottery. The gambling commission industry statistics also confirm these numbers. About 30% of Brits participate in the lottery. In 2020, alone, ticket sales for the National Lottery were worth £3.9 billion. These sales supported a gross gambling yield equivalent to £1.6 billion. Betting machines gross gambling yield totalled nearly £305 million. Remote or online gambling is the largest sector with a £3.1 billion gross gambling yield, mostly from slot games and football and horse betting.
- The gambling industry is incredibly lucrative, and such an industry requires having a certain number of employees to keep it running. As of 2019, about 85,000 people worked in the UK betting industry. According to casino industry statistics, and casino revenue statistics, other sectors such as casinos and arcades were reported to employ about 10,000 employees. However, with the rise in online betting and improvements in technology, the numbers are expected to decrease over the next decade.
- On examining the gambling and betting activities in the UK, there are approximately 350 bingo clubs. As of 2020, there were 131 fully-operating casinos in the UK. While betting is an extremely popular form of gambling, betting shops have decreased over the past few years. Nonetheless, there are considerably more betting shops than bingo clubs and casinos in the UK, with over 6,700 betting shops recorded in 2020. In 2020, the number of gaming machines in the UK totalled 116,333.
- The Gambling Commission regulates gambling in the UK on behalf of the government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport, established under the 2005 Gambling Act. The Gambling Commission has three licensing objectives designed to prevent gambling from becoming a source of crime or disorder, ensure that gambling is fair and open, and protect children and other vulnerable people from being exploited.
- According to gambling statistics UK, gambling advertising has increased over the years. The industry has spent over £1.5 billion on gambling ads in recent years. According to the Gambling Commission, 34% out of 4,566 respondents in a study said that ads prompted them to spend money on gambling activities.
Online Gambling Statistics In The UK
- According to the online gambling statistics UK, the UK online gambling market size is big! About 44% of the adult population in the UK participate in online gaming. The UK Gambling Commission has issued over 3,600 licenses to over 2,000 online gambling companies, with over 175 online casinos operating in the UK.
- Per online gambling industry statistics, online gambling is the largest sector for gross gambling yield. In 2020, the UK earned £5.7 billion gross gambling yield. While sports betting remains the most popular form of online betting, many gamblers enjoy other online casino games such as roulette and blackjack. Today, most gamblers can easily engage in remote gambling on their phones and computers on UK gambling sites. Of course illegal gambling statistics UK exist since one of the biggest online gambling facts is that it will be impossible not to have unauthorized sites operating. Some UK online gambling statistics also confirm that about 74% of people have accounts on one to three of UK gambling sites.
Betting Statistics In The UK
- The most popular form of online betting in the UK is sports betting, with many Brits spending around £14 billion. The most popular sports for betting are football, football pools, horse racing, tennis, basketball, and boxing. According to horse racing gambling statistics, sports like horse racing have seen a decrease in turnover from £5.74 billion in 2009 to £1 billion in 2020. However, the football UK betting industry continues to see an increase. In 2020 alone, it amassed approximately £359 million.
- According to bet stats, ambling is very lucrative for bookmakers as well. Companies like Entain reportedly made £175 million in profit in 2021, with 28% of its profit coming from online gambling.
Stats On Other Types Of Gambling In The UK
- Gaming statistics show that the most popular type of gambling in the UK is the National Lottery. Gambling industry statistics also indicate that close to 45 million people take part in the lottery regularly, including bingo! There are other forms of lotteries in the UK, with about one-fourth of Brits purchasing lottery scratch cards annually.
UK Casino Statistics
- UK Casino statistics reveal that casinos made about £1 billion in profits in 2019. However, casino yields have decreased due to the rise of online casino games, which can be played anywhere and at all times. Roulette and blackjack are some of the most popular casino games. The win rate from blackjack in 2019 was close to £160 million. On the other hand, the drop value for roulette was about £2.5 million, with a win rate of £328 million.
- According to casino profit statistics, nearly 51% of casino visitors are confident that they regularly turn profits, with men more likely to believe they are more profitable than women.
Self-Exclusion Statistics
- Self-exclusion is a facility for people who have decided to stop gambling for at least 6 months. There are new self-exclusions for betting. GAMSTOP, for example, blocks your access to gambling websites. According to the casino gambling addiction statistics UK, there has been a 21% increase in 2021 due to the availability of self-exclusion. However, most gamblers relapse. In 2018, the total number of self-exclusion breaches was roughly about 18,000.
- According to gambling statistics UK, the gambling industry is big and lucrative. While many people have reaped its benefits, you must recognise its effects on you. Whether you win or lose, the industry earns more. Remember to gamble moderately to prevent yourself from accumulating debt.