Online again drives growth in UK gambling

Online gambling again proved an important driver in revenue growth in the UK gambling industry, according to Gambling Commission statistics released this week which showcase an overall y-o-y rise in revenues of 4.2 percent to GBP 14.4 billion for the 12 months ended March 31, with a 37 percent contribution to growth from the online sector, where revenues grew 12.8 percent y-o-y to GBP 5.3 billion.

* The casino vertical commanded a 54.6 percent market share at GBP 29 billion; Land-based casinos saw total yield rise 2.4 percent to GBP 1.2 billion across 152 casinos in England, Scotland and Wales. Rank Group and Genting UK, operating 72 percent of all venues;

* American roulette was the most popular bricks-and-mortar game, accounting for 34.7 percent of casino GGY, followed by Punto Banco, a variant of baccarat, with a 24.9 percent share and electronic gaming, which accounted for 17.4 percent;

* Fixed odds betting generated yield of GBP 2.1 billion, or 38.7 percent of the total;

* The three remaining verticals – bingo, exchange betting and pool betting – made contributions of GBP164.8 million, GBP 160.1 million and GBP 28.7 million respectively;

* Within the casino vertical slots generated GGY of GBP 2 billion, followed by table games yield of GBP 311.1 million;

* Football dominated sports betting with GGY of GBP 1 billion, followed by GBP 610 million from betting on horse racing;

* Online punter numbers grew strongly over the 12-month period, with active customer accounts rising 12.9 percent year-on-year to 33.6 million, and new account registrations up 14.4 percet at 35.4 million’

Retail betting shops and land casinos delivered the second-largest GGY, despite a 4.1 prcent decline to GBP 3.3 billion. Betting shops accounted for GBP 3.1 million of the total, whilst gaming machines contributed GBP 1.8 billion, with FOBTs bringing in 96.1 percent; an area that faces decline with the forthcoming implementation of a GBP 2 maximum stake level;

* Total shop numbers fell 1.8 percent to 8,406, with the industry warning of further closures resulting from the FOBT stake reduction. GVC Group-owned shops dominate the market, with 40.3 percent of shops operated under its Ladbrokes or Coral brands, William Hill follows on 27.1 percent;

* The National Lottery delivered GBP 3 billion of total market GGY, paying out GBP 3.9 billion in prizes over the 12 months, and contributing GBP 1.5 billion to good causes;

* Land-based bingo GGY rose a marginal 0.2 percent to GBP 688.3 million, while lotteries other than the National Lottery saw yield rise 13.7 percent to GBP 502.9 million.

* 1.4 million customers self-excluded over the 12 months, with 121,163 breaching their self-exclusion, and a further 78,005 resumed gambling after a period of exclusion.

* A further 88,971 individuals gambled without being able to verify their age. Online accounted for 72,033 of these incidents.