The gambling companies in the UK cater to 24 million Britons who enjoy wagering in some form or another. While some play for fun, others are devoted to winning massive jackpots and perhaps even making the list of the biggest lottery or biggest bingo winners. Our gambling statistics for the UK will give you insight into how Britons gamble.
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- The total UK gross gambling yield in 2020 was £14.2 billion.
- Online gambling in the UK generated £5.7 billion in gross gambling yield from April 2019 to March 2020.
- Approximately 46,000 Brits work in the betting industry.
- There are 24 million gamblers in the UK.
- UK households spend on average £2.60 per week on gambling.
- There are approximately 1.4 million problem gamblers in the UK.
In-Person and Online Gambling Industry Statistics for the UK
1. The total UK gross gambling yield in 2020 was £14.2 billion.
(Gambling Commission)
The gross gambling yield of the Great Britain gambling industry for the period from April 2019 to March 2020 was £14.2 billion. This is 0.6% (or £84.1 million) less from April 2018 – March 2019.
2. Online gambling in the UK generated £5.7 billion in gross gambling yield from April 2019 to March 2020.
(Gambling Commission)
Online or remote gambling is the largest sector by gross gambling yield, accounting for 39.9% of the overall market. It increased 8.1% from April 2018 to March 2019.
3. The total gross gambling yield made by online casinos is £3.19 billion.
(Finder)
Casino revenue statistics show that online casino games dominate the sector. From October 2018 to September 2019, online casinos had the highest gross gambling yield, followed by non-remote betting that made £2.81 billion, and remote betting that generated £2.12 billion. Online bingo grew to £176.8 million in total gross gambling yield.
4. Bingo in the UK generated £910 million in revenue from April 2019 to March 2020.
(Statista)
Bingo is one of the most popular games among the British gambling public. As shown by stats on gambling, it’s played both at brick-and-mortar bingo halls and on popular bingo sites.
5. The UK gambling industry employs 98,174 people.
(Finder)
As of September 2019, nearly 100,000 people worked in the gambling industry, which is a 7% drop from March the same year. The decrease was caused by the operators switching from on-premise to online gambling.
6. Approximately 46,000 Britons work in the sports betting sector.
(Statista)
Even though the number of employees in the gambling industry has decreased, it still hires a significant number of people. The numbers from September 2019 show that most employees work in the betting sector, followed by the casino (over 12,000 jobs) and bingo sector (over 11,000 jobs).
7. £7.9 billion is the total amount of sales of National Lottery tickets as of March 2020.
(Statista)
The gambling statistics show that the National Lottery ticket sales from April 2019 to March 2020 increased by 700 million compared to the previous period.
8. The total number of gambling licences in the UK in 2020 was 10,098.
(Gambling Commission)
The UK Gambling Commission issued 10,098 gambling licences for the period from April 2019 to March 2020, which is 685 less from April 2018 – March 2019. According to the sports betting statistics, the majority of gambling premises that lost their licences were betting premises.
Gambling Demographics and Behaviour
9. There are 24 million gamblers in the UK.
(The European Business Review)
The United Kingdom has 24 million adult gamblers. Of those, nearly half (10.5 million) gamble online, while the rest enjoy placing their bets at land-based gambling venues.
10. A survey conducted in 2019 showed that 47% of the respondents had gambled in the previous four weeks.
(Casino Guardian, Gambling Commission)
A more recent UK Gambling Commission survey informs us that this number decreased to 42.7% in 2020.
11. Half of UK gamblers gamble once a week.
(Casino Guardian)
According to the same casino and sports gambling statistics, 51% of respondents who confirmed they gambled in the previous four weeks, said they gambled at least once a week.
The male population still seems to be more attracted to gambling than the female even though the figures from 2020 show a decrease in male gamblers compared to 2019.
12. Most UK gamblers are 45 to 53 years old.
(Statista)
According to the 2020 gambling statistics, people aged 45 to 54 are the most represented age group among gamblers. Roughly 48% of respondents who belong to this age group participated in some form of gambling in 2020.
13. British online casinos and sportsbooks had 30.16 million active users in 2019.
(Statista)
The number of active online accounts doesn’t, however, accurately reflect the number of gamblers since one user can open multiple accounts.
14. An average gambler in the UK has three online accounts.
(Gambling Commission)
A recent study has shown that 44% of online gamblers have at least one account at some of the numerous online casinos, sportsbooks, proven slots sites, or other online gambling venues. What’s more, online gambling facts show that most gamblers in search of lucrative welcome bonuses don’t limit themselves to just one account.
15. Participating in the National Lottery draws is the most popular form of gambling among UK players.
(Finder)
Thirty per cent of UK residents played the National Lottery in 2019, which makes it the most popular type of gambling, followed by other lotteries (13%), scratchcards (10%), and sports betting (7%).
Gambling and Spending Habits
16. UK households spent on average £2.60 per week on gambling in 2019.
(Casino Guardian)
According to research conducted in 2019, the average weekly household spending on gambling was less than £3.
17. UK households with a reference person older than 64 spend £3.2 on weekly gambling.
(Statista)
The households with a member aged between 65 and 74 spent the most on weekly gambling in 2020. Gambling statistics for the UK also revealed that households with the reference person younger than 30 spent on average £1.1 per week on gambling.
18. Households that earn the most are the biggest gambling spenders.
(Statista)
UK gamblers who spend the most belong to the ninth percent gross income decile group, which is the second highest earning group. They spent £2.9 per week on gambling in the fiscal year 2020.
UK Problem Gambling Statistics
19. There are approximately 1.4 million problem gamblers in the UK.
(The Guardian)
Although it’s widely considered a fun pastime, gambling can lead to addiction and debt and become a serious mental issue.
20. People aged 25 to 34 are the age group that struggles the most with problem gambling.
(Statista)
A study conducted in March 2020 showed that young people are most likely to experience gambling problems. Individuals aged between 25 and 34 are the largest group of problem gamblers, statistics tell us. They are followed by those aged 16 to 24.
21. Almost 90% of problem gamblers are white.
(National Gambling Treatment Service)
The National Gambling Treatment Service study for 2019/2020 found that 89% of problem gamblers are white. Of those, 81% were British, while 5% were European. Among other ethnic groups, Asian British had the highest rate of problem gamblers (5%), followed by black British (3%).
22. Only 3% or less of problem gamblers receive proper help.
(National Gambling Treatment Service)
The National Gambling Treatment Service estimates that those problem gamblers who receive treatment represent only 3% of people with gambling addiction in the UK. The statistics provided by this institution also highlight the problems related to getting proper help on time and preventing gambling addiction.