The key takeaway from the survey is that gambling participation in the UK dropped to 46% between September 2024 and January 2025, which is 3% lower than during the previous quarter.
Excluding players of the National Lottery, which is considered lower-risk gambling, participation was down to just 28%, which is roughly similar to the previous quarter and suggests that National Lottery participation led the decline.
UK Gambling Options
Despite the survey results, the UK gambling market has continued to see an increase in year-on-year revenue. More mobile and online casinos are available to UK players, including those reviewed in this list curated by Card Player. The integration of cryptocurrency transactions as a means of depositing and withdrawing funds, as well as the implementation of emerging innovations like live dealer games, has seen even more options for players. At the same time, according to online gambling expert Alex Hoffmann, the range and availability of bonuses have also increased so players can enjoy even greater betting opportunities now than ever before.
Gambling Survey Results
Despite the industry seemingly continuing to grow and the number of online casinos increasing, the UKGC has published findings from its most recent Gambling Survey for Great Britain, which actually shows a decline in player participation.
For the three months ending 31 January 2025, participation stood at 46%, compared to 49% in the three months prior. One reason for the decline could be fewer National Lottery players.
Lottery Decline
When lottery players were removed from both sets of figures, participation rates remained roughly equal. The number of people playing the lottery dropped from 37% to 34%. 19% of the 5,191 adults who completed the survey said they only took part in lottery draws. When removing these players, gambling participation stood at 28% which, according to the UKGC, remained at roughly the same rate throughout 2024.
While lottery participation dropped, it remains the most popular gambling activity in the UK. The next most popular form of betting was scratchcards with 12% participation then betting with 10% and online instant win games at 7%.
When asked for their motivations for gambling participation, the most common responses from players were that it is fun and because of the chance to win big money.
Unreliable Data?
However, according to the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR), there could be another reason for the drop – the use of unreliable data. The OSR is part of the UK Statistics Authority, which oversees the collection, use, and reporting of data and statistics. Following some criticism of the UKGC’s surveys, in particular, aimed at its reliability, the OSR undertook a review of the process and its results.
Although they said the survey results should be published, they made nine recommendations for how the GSGB could be improved. The findings do not point to any specific problems, although they do note that survey findings are not necessarily accurately representative of the whole industry. The OSR has said that the GSGB and the UKGC should be more transparent regarding its methodology and that it should implement more recommendations that have been highlighted by Professor Sturgis.
Q1 Gross Gaming Yield (GGY) Figures
At the beginning of May, the UKGC reported 7% year-on-year growth in online gross gambling yield during the first quarter of the year. According to the group, bettors raised £1.45bn GGR for the first three months of the year. This was up from the £1.34bn compared to last year, although it was down 5.8% compared to the previous quarter. During the period, the number of bets and spins was up 5%, totaling 25.2 billion. The number of active players was also up to 13.5 million, an increase of 2%.
Online Slots
Nearly half of this activity came from online slots, accounting for 47% of the quarterly GGY. The £689m raised was up 11% more compared to 2024’s figures, thanks to a 6% increase in the number of spins (23.4 billion) and a similar increase in the number of active accounts (4.5 million). The number of gamblers playing slots for one hour or more, which is used as a metric to determine popularity, was up 5% to 10.1 million people. Average session length, however, remained roughly level, at 17 minutes per play session.
Real Event Betting
Real-event betting also saw gains during the period. GGY of £596m represented a 5% increase from the year before, although this came despite a 1% drop in the number of bets placed and the number of active accounts slipping 2%. Real-event betting accounted for 41% of online gross gaming yield.
Online casino games, poker, and land-based betting all saw declines in participation and GGY, however. Casino gaming GGY stood at £138.3m, down slightly from £138.7m as a result of a 9% drop in the total number of online casino bets placed.
Online Poker
Online poker saw an even sharper decline, with gross gaming revenue falling 19.9% and gross gaming yield plummeting 12% to £9.2m. Esports betting remains a niche area of the market, and its GGY dropped 26% to just £3.2m.
Retail Betting
Offline, retail betting also experienced declines during the quarter. GGY dropped 3% to £554m while total bets and spins fell 5% to 3.1 billion. Gaming machines saw the largest share of GGY, at £275.7m, but operators will be hoping that proposed changes to gaming machine allowances will help arrest the 5% annual decline.
Many casinos and other licensed venues could see the number of machines they are permitted to offer increase from 20 to 80, although the exact number permitted will depend on various factors including the total gaming space of the venue. The changes have been welcomed by casino owners and operators.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute gambling advice or an endorsement of any gambling activity. Gambling involves risk and can be addictive. Please gamble responsibly. If you or someone you know is struggling with gambling, support is available from organisations such as BeGambleAware or by calling the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133. Gambling laws and regulations vary; always ensure you are complying with local laws and age restrictions.