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UK Gambling Participation Nears to Pre-Covid Normal as iGaming Soars
By Jeff Osienya Oct 31, 2022 IndustryOnline gambling participation among UK players has risen to 27% over the past nine months, the highest rate recorded in the industry. Still, despite the impressive growth, participation levels of the entire sector are yet to attain pre-pandemic strength.Despite the UK facing challenges characterized by political turmoil, and inflation that is rising every month, the gambling industry has been on a steady rise. Disruption and restrictions due to the Covid pandemic had kept gambling participation levels low, but things are looking up. Based on a new UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) report, Brits have gone back to in-person gambling, such as dog races, bingo, and horse races. Additionally, while internet gambling accounts for a small portion of the broader UK gaming sector, participation is also climbing.
The gambling watchdog released its latest gambling participation and prevalence survey, which contains data from January to September 2022. This data is based on a quarterly telephone survey conducted by Yonder Consulting on a sample size of 4,018 adults aged 16 years and above. Yonder Consulting conducted the survey in December 2021, March, June, and September 2022.
So, according to the latest UKGC report, the overall gambling participation is at 44%, which is 3% less than the pre-covid levels of 47% recorded in September 2019. Although in-person gambling numbers have grown substantially to 27% for the past nine months, it is still below the pre-covid levels. Additionally, iGaming activity from Britons has also increased to a participation rate of 27%, marking the highest rate yet for the region. Nonetheless, while there was a surge in online gambling participation amongst all demographics, players aged 65 and above reported a 2-point slide from 17% to 19%.
The online gambling segment has experienced steady growth, all thanks to Online Slots, which recorded an increase in participation from 3.4% to 4.6%. On the flip side, sports betting has decreased from 5.6% to 4.5% over the 9-month period.
Looking at the number of Brits who gamble regularly, there was a significant jump for the first time in a while, following the significant dips prerecorded in past surveys. Additionally, about 26.6% of the respondents had wagered within four weeks before Yonder Consulting conducted the study. The figure reflected a 23.9% surge, but the levels were still lower than the 34.9% recorded in 2019.
Overall Problem Gambling Rate Remains Low at 0.3%
Further, the survey revealed that the problem gambling rate stands at 0.3%, similar to what was recorded in September 2021. Still, upon digging deeper into specific demographics, the data indicated that the rate of problem gambling increased in some cases. For example, problem gambling among young bettors between the age of 16 to 24 increased to 1.4%, up from 0.4 % in 2021. But then, because the data was collected from 293 people, some parties might not find it statistically meaningful.
Meanwhile, the rate of bettors who experienced moderate harm was at 1.1%, an increase from 0.7% in 2021. On the other hand, bettors experiencing low-level harm have decreased to 1.8% from 1.9% in 2021. Casting the spotlight back to younger gamblers between the age of 16 to 24, they had a 6.7% rate of harm, up from 4.9% recorded last year. Looking at the data based on gender, the rate of problem gambling stood at 0.4% in men, whereas in women, it is 0.1%.
The UKGC to Continue Spearheading Gambling Reforms
The UK government has yet to work out a plan to help with reforms in the gambling industry, and until then, the UK Gambling Commission is doing most of the work. The Commission is constantly introducing rules and regulations mainly focused on player safety and protecting vulnerable groups.
Some of the changes the Commission has implemented on different gambling fronts include how the Commission supervises gambling operators and how it carries out its reviews. For example, Andrew Rhodes, UKGC’s CEO, recently stated that changes to the UK Gambling Act 2005 would focus on slot machines, including the online versions of the slots.
Additionally, the Commission is currently pushing for the adoption of a ‘Single Customer View’ approach in the iGaming industry. The said methodology would allow gaming operators to share customer data to enhance safer gambling by universally monitoring aspects such as player expenditure and exclusion.
Problem gambling has been an issue the UKGC is always fighting against, especially when it comes to the younger generation. And in light of the increased problem gambling rate for younger demographics in the Commission's latest survey, the UK Addiction Treatment Group (UKAT) has called the British government to task. The consultant Treatment Lead at UKAT, Nuno Albuquerque, requested the UK government to publish the White Paper soon for better regulation. He said:
Quote“Online gambling is on the rise yet again, and we’re still waiting for the government’s 2005 Gambling Act reform White Paper – the situation is becoming dangerous. Yes, there has been political turmoil, but we really need to see the outcomes to this long-awaited reform, so that we can better protect those who gamble.”
Change of Guard Limbo
Although the UK gambling industry is doing well, it is in a state of confusion following the constant change of prime ministers. All the while, the English Football League (EFL) and the English Premier League (EPL) continue to face the pressure of ending their partnerships with gaming operators.
The former prime minister, Boris Johnson, had promised to review the White Paper on gambling reforms; however, he stepped down before he could do it. On the contrary, the successor Liz Truss did not show any interest in the matter.
The current PM, Rishi Sunak, was sworn in on Tuesday and is already receiving pressure to look into the gambling reforms seems to be more focused on reviving the economy at the moment. In his speech after he was sworn in as Britain’s 57th prime minister, Sunak said:
Quote“I will place economic stability and confidence at the heart of this government’s agenda. That work begins immediately.”
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