UKGC Publishes New Data on Gambling Behavior

The United Kingdom Gambling Commission has released the latest data on gambling behavior in Great Britain over the past two years as lockdown measures were eased and gambling venues opened up.

The data covers the period from March 2020 to March 2022 and includes both online and retail gambling. It was partially provided by the Licensed Betting Operators (LBOs) that can be found on high streets across the UK.

The data breaks down the figures by quarters. In the financial year 2021-2022, the Gross Gambling Yield (GGY) in the fourth quarter was £1.2 billion, down 1% from the third quarter. The total number of bets/spins fell by 2% from Q3 to Q4; however, the average monthly active accounts increased by 5%.

The GGY from slots fell by 5% to £541 million from Q3 to Q4, and the number of spins fell 2% to 17.9 billion. As mentioned, the average monthly active accounts were up 5% to three million per month.

In the same period, the number of online slot sessions that lasted more than an hour decreased by 2%. The average session lasted 18 minutes, and roughly 7% of all sessions lasted for more than an hour.

The GGY from LBOs increased by 3% to £551 million between Q3 and Q4, but at the same time, the total number of bets and spins decreased to 3.2 billion.

We recognize that the country is now entering a different phase as we adjust to life after a series of restrictions. We continue to expect extra vigilance from operators as consumers are impacted in different ways by the circumstances brought on by the pandemic and the wider economic environment. Many people will still feel vulnerable as a result of the length of the pandemic period, further uncertainty about their personal or financial circumstances, or readjusting budgets and time as life returns to normal with a wider set of finance drivers.

UK Gambling Commission Statement