UK Online Gambling Statistics Revealed
According to the Gambling Commission, online gambling in the UK has grown by 7% in the past year, which makes it one of the fastest-growing industries in the country and certainly one worth keeping an eye on. If you’re interested in pursuing an industry that’s projected to have made a staggering £13bn by 2018, you might be wondering which kinds of gambling are most popular among Brits – and it turns out there are quite a few categories to choose from! In this article, we look at the most popular types of betting done online by UK citizens.
Sport betting
The most popular form of gambling in the UK is sports betting, with 58% of adults having placed a wager on a sporting event at some point in their life. This is followed by poker (28%), casino (25%) and bingo (20%). Younger adults are more likely to gamble than older adults – 51% of 18–24-year-olds have gambled compared to just 27% of those aged 65+. Those living in Scotland were found to be the most prolific gamblers, with 64% of Scottish respondents reporting that they had placed a bet before. Londoners came out as the least likely to gamble, with only 44% saying that they had done so. In contrast, 57% of people from Northern Ireland and 53% of those from Wales reported that they had gambled before. Younger men were also found to be significantly more likely to gamble than younger women – 46% against 34%.
Bingo sites
According to a new study conducted by an online gambling company, online gamblers in the United Kingdom are most likely to bet on bingo sites. The survey, which was conducted over the course of one week in November 2016, revealed that 49% of UK respondents said that they had played bingo at least once in the past year. The second-most popular option for those surveyed was lottery tickets with 33%. Slot machines came third with 27%. Roulette (26%) and scratch cards (24%) followed closely behind. At 14%, poker was surprisingly low on the list despite it being one of the more popular games in land-based casinos. While women were more likely to play slot machines than men (30% vs 22%), men were more likely to play roulette than women (28% vs 18%).
Online Casinos
In the UK, online gambling has been legal since 2001. With the advent of internet access and mobile devices, it’s become a popular pastime for people of all ages. Many popular casinos review in non gamstop review shows reliable sites gamblers to choose from. Undeniably because of the global popularity of online casinos, it’s no surprise that so many people gamble on their favorite games in the comfort of their home at any time they can.
Lotteries
The most popular form of online gambling in the UK is lotteries. This type of gambling accounted for more than a third of total money gambled in 2017, with £3.7 billion bets placed during the year. Even though this figure is up from 2016 (£2.4 billion), the increase can be attributed to increased ticket prices rather than increased numbers of players.
The next most popular forms of gambling are casino games and sports betting, which together account for just over 20% of all online wagers made by British gamblers.
Poker Sites
It is not surprising to see that the most popular online gambling site in the UK is Poker Stars. In fact, it is the largest poker site in the world by both total number of users and volume of games played. They offer a variety of poker games, including Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo (7CS), HORSE and Razz.
Games of Skill
The most popular games of skill in the UK are sports betting and casino games. Sports betting is a popular pastime for soccer fans, and there’s a wide range of other sports available too. Other types of gaming that could be seen as being a type of game of skill include scratch cards, bingo, and lottery tickets which account for more than one-third (35%) of all bets placed on gambling websites in Britain – far more than any other type.
Betting Syndicates
The most popular online betting sites in the UK are Ladbrokes and Paddy Power, with more than half of Britons having gambled on them. These two companies make up 36% of the market share for betting. The next most popular site is Betfair, which holds 16% of the market share. Other sites include Skybet, William Hill, Coral, and Unibet. All these companies have a substantial number of customers but only have a small percentage of the overall market share.
The total amount wagered in the United Kingdom was 204 illion last year, but it has been predicted that this number will rise to £5 billion by 2021 due to the increase in gambling prevalence in recent years.
Final words
Gambling online is more popular in the UK than ever before, with many people gambling on their favorite sports, live casino games and slots. The growth of the industry has been rapid, and it’s expected to continue to grow at a steady rate. Whether you want to play for fun or for real money, there are plenty of options available that should suit your needs.
