Key issues covered in this Report
- The impact of the cost of living crisis on gambling spending and participation
- Threats and opportunities presented by proposed changes in gambling regulation
- Variations in playing habits between products and across channels
- Support for tighter regulation of gambling and its promotion
- Strategies for promoting recreational play.
Meet the Expert
This report, written by David Walmsley, a leading research analyst, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight trends and add expert context to the numbers.
A combination of digital technologies, social experiences, a leaner estate and new regulatory freedoms is offering retail gambling a brighter future than it had in prospect pre-pandemic.”
David Walmsley
Senior Leisure Analyst
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Overview
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Products covered in this Report
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Executive Summary
- The five-year outlook for gambling
- Figure 1: Category outlook, 2023-27
- The market
- New regulatory regime threatens revenue growth
- Figure 2: Forecast of consumer spending* on gambling, 2018/19-2028/29**
- Slots back on top
- Figure 3: Consumer spending* on gambling, by segment, 2017/18-2021/22**
- Player protection measures target online games
- Entertainment focus promotes recreational play
- Companies and brands
- Entain the biggest winner as betting shops bounce back
- Figure 4: Leading gambling operators’ UK revenues, 2022
- Innovation focuses on engagement and entertainment
- The consumer
- Player base struggles for volume growth
- Figure 5: Participation in gambling activities, 2022 and 2023
- Digital development keeps retail relevant
- Figure 6: Participation in gambling, by channel, 2023
- Women dial in to smartphone play
- Figure 7: Devices used to gamble online, 2022 and 2023
- Younger people least supportive of tighter regulation
- Figure 8: Support for gambling regulation, 2023
- Spending cuts a threat to casino games and slots
- Figure 9: Potential changes in leisure habits in the face of cost of living pressures, 2023
- The five-year outlook for gambling
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Issues and Insights
- Retail gambling is ripe for revival
- How will regulatory change impact online gambling marketing?
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Market Size and Performance
- Retail revives while remote segment sustains gains
- Figure 10: Consumer expenditure* on gambling, 2018/19-2022/23**
- Retail revives while remote segment sustains gains
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Market Forecast
- Recreational play can counter new remote restrictions
- Figure 11: Gambling outlook, 2023-27
- New regulatory regime ready to bite
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- Figure 12: Forecast of consumer expenditure on gambling, 2018/19-2028/29
- Figure 13: Forecast of consumer expenditure on remote gambling, 2018/19-2028/29
- Figure 14: Forecast of consumer expenditure on retail gambling, 2018/19-2028/29
- Learnings from the last income squeeze
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- Figure 15: Consumer expenditure* on gambling, 2010/11-2014/15**
- Forecast methodology
- Recreational play can counter new remote restrictions
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Market Segmentation
- Slots back on top
- Figure 16: Consumer expenditure* on gambling, by segment, 2017/18-2021/22**
- Regulatory change helps arcades but hinders online slots
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- Figure 17: Consumer expenditure* on gaming machines/online slots, by channel, 2017/18-2021/22
- Lottery spending finds a new level
- Figure 18: Consumer expenditure* on lottery games, by segment, 2017/18-2021/22**
- Betting shops bounce back as remote spike subsides
- Figure 19: Consumer expenditure* on betting, by channel, 2017/18-2021/22**
- Staycation trend helps casinos’ comeback
- Figure 20: Consumer expenditure* on casino and card games, 2017/18-2021/22**
- Bingo clubs’ recovery slowed by cost of living crisis
- Figure 21: Consumer expenditure* on bingo, by channel, 2017/18-2021/22
- Slots back on top
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Market Drivers
- Cost of living crisis threatens leisure spending
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- Figure 22: Financial situation, 2021-23
- Recreational shift drives content boom
- Digital technology strengthens retail offer
- Safer gambling still top of the industry agenda
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- Figure 23: Problem and at-risk gamblers, 2023
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Regulatory and Legislative Changes
- Affordability checks
- Stake limits
- Game design
- Player protection tools
- Prize draw regulation
- Gaming machine allocations and other retail regulations
- Marketing and advertising
- Revenue costs of up to £895 million
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- Figure 24: Estimated impacts on industry GGY of key regulatory changes proposed by White Paper, 2023
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Market Share
- Reopening of betting shops puts Entain back on top
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- Figure 25: Leading gambling operators’ UK revenues, 2022
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Launch Activity and Innovation
- Racing club fast out of the stalls
- DAZN bets on sportsbook potential
- Micro-betting aims for macro future
- Bingo boards the social entertainment bandwagon
- National Lottery scratchcards added to online baskets
- AI powers more personal experiences
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Advertising and Marketing Activity
- Adspend up on pre-pandemic levels
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- Figure 26: Gambling operators’ total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure, by segment, 2020-22
- Sportsbooks dominate digital space
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- Figure 27: Gambling operators’ total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure, by media type, 2020-22
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
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Gambling Activities
- Static player base prompts shift in product focus
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- Figure 28: Participation in gambling activities, 2022 and 2023
- Sports dads seek gambling snacks
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- Figure 29: Gambling activity repertoires, 2023
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Gambling Channels
- Retail still relevant in the digital age
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- Figure 30: Participation in gambling, by channel, 2023
- Multichannel play proves most popular
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- Figure 31: Single and multichannel online gambling, 2023
- Women most comfortable with smartphone play
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- Figure 32: Devices used to gamble online, 2022 and 2023
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Gambling Regulation
- Younger players least keen on affordability checks
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- Figure 33: Support for gambling regulation measures aimed at tackling problem gambling, 2023
- Focus on promotional detail more welcome than a wholesale ad ban
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- Figure 34: Support for restrictions on gambling advertising and promotions, 2023
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Gambling and the Cost of Living Crisis
- Market threatened by cutting back
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- Figure 35: Potential changes in leisure habits in the face of cost of living pressures, 2023
- Strengthening sports fandom can reduce operators’ risk
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- Figure 36: Potential changes to gambling habits in the face of cost of living pressures, 2023
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Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
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Appendix – Forecast Methodology
- Market forecast and prediction intervals
- Figure 37: Forecast of consumer expenditure on gambling*, 2023/24-2028/29**
- Figure 38: Forecast of consumer expenditure on remote gambling*, 2023/24-2028/29**
- Figure 39: Forecast of consumer expenditure on remote gambling*, 2023/24-2028/29**
- Market drivers and assumptions
- Forecast methodology
- Market forecast and prediction intervals
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