British online gambling eases

In the latest online gambling prevalence study conducted by independent researchers at the behest of the UK Gambling Commission, the numbers show that contrary to some claims of internet gambling soaring and becoming a social problem, the number of Brits using the internet and mobile devices to gamble has actually declined year-on-year by 2 percent.

And the national lottery remains far and away the most popular place for British punters to have a flutter.

Highlights from the report included:

* 60 percent of male respondents had gambled online vs. 50 percent of female respondents.

* 19 percent of males said they had participated in internet gambling in the past four weeks vs. 11 percent of females.

* Overall, 55 percent of respondents said they had gambled online in the preceding four weeks – down from 57 percent in 2012.

* 60 percent of male respondents who gambled online were between the ages of 35-65, whilst 62 percent of female remote gamblers were aged between 55-64.

* The most active remote gamblers were in the 35 – 44 year age group – 22 percent women and 20 percent men.

* Top gambling fave was the national lottery, where 43 percent of respondents participated, although only 16 percent said they bought their tickets online. Next favoured was other lotteries (13 percent) and 10 percent on scratchcards.

* Online or mobile facilities were preferred by spread betters.

* 73 percent of punters said they had not gambled online; 16 percent said they had gambled in both ‘live’ betting and online wagering, and 11 percent said they had gambled only through remote channels.

* Gamblers preferred to place their bets “in person” when it came to Bingo (80 percent); Dog Racing (75 percent); Spread Betting (84 percent) and Sports Betting (45 percent).

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