Streaming has stopped adding households and started rearranging them. Ofcom’s annual study of UK viewing and listening habits, published in July 2026, found that 70% of UK homes had a subscription video service in the first quarter of 2026, a level it describes as flat after the pandemic jump. The next phase is about what people swap, trim and put up with, not what they add.
Video is only one claim on that time. Music, games and gambling want it too. Some overseas operators are based beyond the Gambling Commission’s reach, and LuckyHills online casino falls in that group. The sections below take each area in turn, starting with the biggest.
Video: Fewer New Subscribers, More Switching
Most homes already have the big three. Ofcom found that 69% of households subscribe to at least one of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video or Disney+, and 20% subscribe to all three. Netflix is the first pick for 26% of viewers. The BBC sits one point behind on 25%, and Ofcom treats that as a statistical tie.
Broadcasters still carry a lot of the load. Their content made up 53% of in-home viewing in 2025, or 2 hours 19 minutes a day. But live and linear viewing fell by 14 minutes to 1 hour 51 minutes, and the share of people watching any broadcaster content in a typical week slid from 78% in 2022 to 70% in 2025. The growth sits in the broadcasters’ own catch-up apps, iPlayer and ITVX among them. Viewing there rose 9% in a year, faster than any other kind of TV service.
Adverts Are Moving Back Inside Subscriptions
Cheaper tiers with adverts are now ordinary. In the first quarter of 2026, 43% of Netflix subscribers were on its Standard with Ads plan, up from 31% two years earlier. Disney+ matched that 43%, up from 27% a year before. Price is the obvious explanation, though Ofcom’s figures don’t test it. The effect is clear enough: more viewers are paying with attention instead of money.
Music and Games Became Defaults
Music made the switch to streaming first, and the numbers show how complete it is. Games are slower, with subscriptions still a minority of spending.
- Streaming took more than four-fifths of the £2.45bn spent on recorded music in 2025
- 65% of adults streamed music at least monthly in 2026, against 46% in 2019
- 56% of GB adults played a video game at least monthly in 2026, up from 53% in 2019
- Subscriptions made up £1.10bn, or 21%, of UK video game software spend in 2025
Where Gambling Fits
The Gambling Commission recorded £7.8bn of gross gambling yield from online casino, betting and bingo in 2024/25, with £5.0bn of that from online casino games. Gambling has its own version of the free trial in the promotional offer. The economics are different, though. A streaming subscriber pays a fee for content. Gross gambling yield is stakes minus winnings, so it grows when players lose more.
That is why gambling sits under a separate regulator and separate rules from streaming. In Great Britain, licensed operators work under Commission rules on stakes, promotions and advertising. Those rules do not reach operators outside its jurisdiction.
Subscription Rules Are Catching Up
Free trials and auto-renewals are about to get tighter oversight. The government published its response on the new subscription contracts regime under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act on 2 April 2026. The rules are expected to take effect in spring 2027, with formal commencement still to come.
The main changes:
- A 14-day cooling-off period after signing up
- A 14-day window to cancel for a proportionate refund after a free trial ends or a long contract auto-renews
- Reminder notices that must be more prominent than other information given at the same time
- A ban on terms that make cancelling an auto-renewal disproportionately difficult
What the Numbers Suggest
Digital entertainment is no longer growing by finding new households. It is competing for a fixed pool of time and household budget, using ad tiers, bundles, trials and renewal terms as the tools. Until the 2027 rules arrive, the practical habit is dull but useful: know when each trial and renewal falls due.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational and entertainment purposes only. It does not constitute legal, financial, or gambling advice. Online gambling carries risks, and statistically players stand a higher chance of losing their stake. You should only gamble what you can afford to lose, and participate if you are over the legal age in your jurisdiction. Always gamble responsibly and within your means. If you or someone you know is experiencing problems with gambling, seek help from a professional support service such as GamCare or BeGambleAware.