UKGC: online gambling is dominant in UK market

Online gambling is now the dominant form of gambling in the UK, according to the latest figures from the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC).

The statistics are covering the period between April 2015 and March 2016. The new data shows that online gambling accounts for 33% of all gambling in the UK, with online operators generating a gross gambling yield (GGY) of £4.5 billion within that period of time.

In those 12 months UK-licensed online gambling operators generated revenue of just under £4.5 billion. In comparison, the National Lottery collected £3.4 billion, retail betting £3.3 billion and land-based casinos £1 billion.

Regarding the total amount generated by online gambling, casino collected the top amount of £2.6 billion, of which £1.6 billion came from betting and £1.8 billion from slots.

The UKGC also reported that as of September this year, there were 8,709 betting shops in the UK, 1.8% less than on the previous year. The number of bingo premises also declined by 4.3% from March 2016 to September 2016.

James Green, programme director at the UKGC, said “Our latest statistics show that with the growth in online gambling the industry is increasingly taking a creative approach to using technology to engage consumers.

“As the online sector grows operators will also need to demonstrate that they are taking an equally innovative approach to ensuring gambling is safe for all online consumers.”