Stay ahead of the curve and future-proof your business with Mintel’s UK Gambling Trends Market Report 2024. Our full report is packed with consumer-led market intelligence, the latest market research, gambling industry trends, and consumer behaviours affecting your business. Get a 360° view of the UK gambling market including market size, market share and forecasted growth to help you align your business strategy with the needs of your audience.
Below, we’ve handpicked the key insights analysed in the full report and summarised the core topics.
Key Topics Featured in Full Report
- Gambling industry trends during in the cost of living crisis.
- Threats and opportunities of forthcoming changes in gambling regulation.
- The survival of retail gambling in the age of online leisure.
- Influences on gambling brand choice.
- The impact of changing leisure habits on participation in gambling.
UK Gambling Market Definitions
For the purposes of this Report, gambling activities are defined as comprising:
- National Lottery draws, other lotteries (eg Health Lottery/People’s Postcode Lottery) and scratchcards
- Gaming machines and online slots
- Bingo
- Betting on sports events (eg horseracing, football etc) and non-sports events (eg politics, TV reality shows etc)
- Casino games.
Gambling Industry Trends and Opportunities
Budget constraints and consumer caution created by the cost of living crisis have slowed the retail gambling segment’s post-pandemic recovery but benefited its remote counterpart as people continue to seek entertainment at home. The affordability checks and online slot stake limits being introduced under forthcoming changes in market regulation pose a serious threat to remote revenues, although gambling venues will enjoy some overall net gains.
Longer-term opportunities for growth in the UK gambling market will be found in recreational play driven by new games and experiences built around new technologies and connections with digital entertainment and video gaming.
- UK gambling market size: Mintel estimates that consumer expenditure on the gambling industry will reach 15,311 million in 2029.
Readers of this report may also be interested in our UK Lotteries Market Report 2024, or our range of Gambling Market Research.
Meet the Expert
David is a research analyst at Mintel focusing on the sport and leisure sectors, which he has covered for more than 15 years. Formerly a journalist with the BBC, Independent News & Media and the SportBusiness Group, he holds an honours degree in International Studies from the University of Birmingham.
Investing in new technologies, products and experiences can help operators in the UK gambling markets mitigate the negative revenue effects of forthcoming regulatory change.
David Walmsley
Research Analyst
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Executive Summary
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Overview
- Opportunities for gambling
- Invest in technology to reach the next generation
- Gaming generation can connect with console gambling
- Use social play and mental stimulation to open gambling’s grey market
- Market dynamics and outlook
- Market size & forecast
- Market predictions
- Growth slows as retail recovery concludes
- Regulatory change halts revenue growth
- A third of all spending goes on slots
- Graph 1: consumer expenditure* on gambling, by segment, 2022/23**
- Stay focused on value while consumer confidence is slow to return
- Graph 2: the financial confidence index, 2016-24
- New regulations focus on risks of remote play
- What consumers want and why
- Majority of Brits enjoy a flutter
- Graph 3: participation in gambling, 2019-24
- Lotteries are by far our most popular games
- Graph 4: most popular gambling activities, 2023-24
- Technology connects retail and remote experiences
- Retail gambling still as common as remote play
- Graph 5: gambling participation, by channel, 2023-24
- Accounts and memberships drive brand loyalty
- Graph 6: gambling account holders, by participation in gambling activities, 2024
- Cash incentives are still hard to beat
- Graph 7: most popular incentives to choose one gambling brand over another
- Innovation and marketing
- Lotteries drive gambling adspend to record heights
- Graph 8: gambling operators’ total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure, 2021-23
- UK a target for overseas brands’ expansion plans
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Market Dynamics
- Market size
- Gambling market finally puts pandemic behind it…
- Graph 9: consumer expenditure* on gambling, 2019/20-2023/24**
- …although retail segment is still short of full recovery
- Graph 10: consumer spending* on gambling, by channel, 2019/20-2023/4**
- Market forecast
- Market’s growth phase is over for now
- Recreational play and digital entertainment key to rebuilding value
- Regulation ready to reduce remote revenues
- Retail gambling looks to more stable future
- Market segmentation
- Machine players are market’s biggest spenders
- Graph 11: consumer expenditure* on gambling, by segment, 2019/19-2022/23**
- Regulatory change set to close the gaming machine revenue gap
- Graph 12: consumer expenditure* on gaming machines/online slots, by channel, 2017/18-2021/22**
- No instant wins for new National Lottery operator
- Graph 13: consumer expenditure* on lottery games, by segment, 2018/19-2022/23**
- Horseracing still a staple of shop betting
- Graph 14: consumer expenditure* on betting, by channel, 2018/19-2022/23**
- Online hit set to outweigh retail casinos’ gains
- Graph 15: consumer expenditure* on casino and card games, 2018/19-2022/23**
- Returning afternoon trade boosts bingo business
- Graph 16: consumer expenditure* on bingo, by channel, 2018/19-2022/23**
- Macro-economic factors
- Falling inflation has reduced pressure on household finances
- Graph 17: CPI inflation rate, 2021-24
- Interest rates expected to fall in 2024, but borrowing pressures will remain
- Consumer sentiment: wellbeing is up but the recovery has slowed
- Graph 18: the financial wellbeing index, 2016-24
- Consumer confidence continued to trend upwards
- Graph 19: the financial confidence index, 2016-24
- Help cautious consumers trade down…
- …and up
- Social, environmental and legal factors
- Market adapts to changing leisure habits
- In-home entertainment retains its pandemic boost
- Graph 20: impact of COVID-19 on leisure activity, 2024
- More home working = less venue visiting…
- Graph 21: employment locations, 2024
- …but creates new opportunities for online play
- Focus on premium and community to drive retail spending
- Technology at the centre of young people’s leisure…
- Graph 22: participation mostly in online leisure activities at home, by age, 2023
- …but keeps remote gamblers connected with retail play
- Graph 23: value and volume of self-service betting terminal gambling, 2022-24
- Look to AI and video gaming for gambling’s next big tech
- Graph 24: perceived positive impact of new technologies on video gaming, 2023
- Operators need to appeal to an older crowd
- Demographic trends suggest betting on grey
- Graph 25: projected structure of the 15+ population, 2033
- Mental stimulation and social entertainment will appeal to older groups
- Regulatory and legislative changes
- Roll-out of new regulatory regime begins
- Affordability measures at the top of the list
- Online operators hit by slot stake limits
- Retail venues win on machines
- Market share
- Flutter leads multinational-dominated marketplace
- Online focus sees Flutter move ahead of retail leader Entain
- Graph 26: annual revenues of selected leading gambling operators, 2022-23
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What Consumers Want and Why
- Participation in gambling
- Gambling regains majority status
- Graph 27: participation in gambling, 2019-2024
- More people are betting and gaming
- Graph 28: participation in non-lottery gambling activities, 2021-24
- Market led by men, the young and the better off…
- Graph 29: participation in gambling activities, by demographics, 2024
- …and skewed more strongly again beyond lottery play
- Graph 30: participation in non-lottery gambling activities, by demographics, 2024
- Gambling activities
- Most gamblers stake on lotteries
- Lotteries loom large over the participation picture
- Graph 31: most popular gambling activities, 2023-24
- Busy parents are the prime audience for quick-play slots
- Graph 32: gaming machine/online slots play, by lifestage and age, 2024
- Rise of women’s sport can widen female play from games to betting
- Graph 33: most popular gambling activities, by gender, 2024
- Gambling channels
- Gamblers happy to play in person and online
- High street participation holds up against rise of remote play
- Graph 34: gambling participation, by channel, 2023-24
- Betting and gaming retains a strong retail presence
- Graph 35: participation in non-lottery gambling activities, by channel, 2024
- Convergence of products and experiences erodes old channel preferences
- Graph 36: most popular gambling activities, by channel, 2024
- Gamblers widen their device use
- Graph 37: devices used to gamble online, 2023-24
- Xbox generation spawns console gaming opportunity
- Graph 38: gambling via games consoles, by age and gender, 2024
- Usage of gambling brands
- Brands know their customers better than ever…
- Graph 39: gambling account holding, 2024
- …especially in the betting and gaming segments
- Graph 40: gambling account holders, by participation in gambling activities, 2024
- National Lottery has the widest account holder base
- Graph 41: most popular gambling brands, 2024
- Big betting brands dominate all other verticals
- Graph 42: gambling accounts most commonly held by sports bettors, 2024
- Sportsbooks succeed in cross-selling slots
- Graph 43: gambling accounts most commonly held by players of gaming machines/online slots, 2024
- Bingo players stay in their lane
- Graph 44: gambling accounts most commonly held by bingo players, 2024
- Casino operators crowded out online
- Graph 45: gambling accounts most commonly held by players of casino games, 2024
- Take practical steps to help gamblers manage wider brand repertoires
- Graph 46: number of gambling accounts/memberships held, 2024
- Brand incentives
- Decision makers have money on their minds
- Cash is still king for customers
- Graph 47: most popular incentives to choose one gambling brand over another
- Online gamblers find it easier to switch
- Graph 48: key drivers of brand preference, by gambling activity, 2024
- Venue environments are a key part of the retail gambling experience
- Graph 49: key drivers of brand preference, by in-person gambling activity, 2024
- Even the market leaders are vulnerable to competition on price
- Graph 50: key drivers of brand preference, by account/membership held, 2024
- Compound cash interest with quality service and personal recommendation
- Use word-of-mouth promotion to reach young adult audiences
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Innovation And Marketing Trends
- Launch activity and innovation
- Overseas brands target UK market
- Slots operator slides into casino game
- New lottery draws on demand for experiences
- Entering the entertainment market
- Adoption of new technologies begins with bet builders
- Sky Bet lines up with football fans
- New brand platform launches by saluting the dedication of fans
- Advertising and marketing activity
- Gambling adspend hits new heights
- Graph 51: gambling operators’ total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure, 2021-23
- Lotteries take the lead
- Graph 52: gambling operators’ total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure, by segment, 2023
- Digital spending overtakes television
- Graph 53: gambling operators’ total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure, by media type, 2023
- Sponsorships drive below-the-line marketing spend
- Local restrictions threaten outdoor advertising
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Appendix
- Supplementary data
- Population projections
- Advertising and marketing activity
- Market forecast data and methodology
- Market size
- Market forecast
- Market forecast and prediction intervals
- Remote market forecast and prediction intervals
- Retail market forecast and prediction intervals
- Forecast methodology
- Report scope and definitions
- Market definition
- Abbreviations and terms
- Methodology
- Consumer research methodology
- How to read: TURF analysis
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
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