The UK Gambling Trends Market Report identifies consumers’ attitudes towards gambling, the impact of the cost-of-living crisis and the challenges and opportunities emerging from the government’s Gambling Act review. This report covers the UK Gambling market size, market forecast, market segmentation and gambling industry trends for the UK market.
The UK gambling market size and value is approaching pre-pandemic levels due to the willingness of consumers in most retail segments to resume their playing habits following the lifting of COVID-19.
However, rapidly rising inflation and labour market shortages are causing problems in the UK gambling market segment by raising costs for high street gambling businesses, many of which are already only marginally profitable. Historically, gambling industry trends reveal that the sector is resilient to economic downturns, although lotteries are considered more vulnerable to cutting back than other verticals.
The UK gambling market’s biggest threat beyond the cost-of-living crisis is the government’s Gambling Act review to regulate the sector. This review threatens to reduce the online gambling market size by introducing tighter restrictions for online businesses, potentially including stake limits, affordability checks and a ban on direct marketing and inducements to play.
Gambling operators are turning their marketing and acquisition strategies toward the ‘recreational customer’ – a lower-staking player, whose primary motivation is entertainment and having fun. This customer model comparatively high margins and potentially strong lifetime value.
The most significant opportunity lies in gambling operators’ response to the threat of the government’s regulations and specifically how the UK gambling market plans to grow its recreational customer base through softer, more entertainment-led strategies.
The continuing rise of digital entertainment will generate further interest in online gambling and feed online gambling market opportunities and innovations within the segment, including the increase in AI and VR experiences. The fortunes of retail venues will hinge on their ability to balance adopting the technologies that can attract new customers with preserving the experiences that core customers value.
Products: National Lottery draws, lotteries (Health Lottery, People’s Postcode Lottery), scratchcards, gaming/slot machines, bingo, sports and non-sports events betting and casino games.
Brands: William Hill, Paddy Power, Unikm, Entain (Ladbrokes, Coral, GalaBingo, Party Poker, Foxy Bingo, PartyCasino), Flutter (Tombola), bet365, Camelot, Betfred, Rank Group, Sky Betting, Buzz Bingo, Genesis Global, BetVictor, PokerStars, Mecca Bingo, LOL Bingo.
This report, written by David Walmsley, a leading senior analyst in the Leisure sector, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends and add expert context to the numbers.
“The market is making a strong recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic but is likely to have its wings clipped by new remote sector restrictions driven by player safety concerns. Operators will respond by targeting more recreational customers with an entertainment-led approach.”
David Walmsley
Senior Leisure Analyst
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