In our opinion, it should come as no surprise that the figures flowing around the UK gambling business are astonishingly high. Several sources that include the Gambling Commission itself, Finder, and Statista have all quoted large numbers. The online sector of gambling alone has a projected revenue for 2024 at circa £11 billion, while the entire market is valued at around £15 billion.
The business is good when we look at these general figures. However, it’s also important to note the key aspects that define the market. After all, money comes from the supply-demand tandem that dictates the terms of business.
We can track the widespread British interest in gambling by looking at the people who actually gamble. As such, the figures, sums, profits, and prospects all depend on the people who choose to consume such a form of entertainment.
This article will unveil some of the demographic truths of the UK gambling market. It will outline the main gambling profile of the average UK citizen, including the variation that influences various choices.
UK Gambling in Figures – How Big is the British Gambling Scene?
The most accurate data that we can use to unveil some of the contextual settings of this subject comes directly from the UKGC. It’s refreshing to see that a governing body with such high standards backs up its grasp on its jurisdiction with actual figures.
The most recent figures that we can use for the purpose of understanding the market come from Quarter 1, 2024-2025. By this time, we see circa 4.5 million slot players, 6.1 bettors on real sports, and around 3 million players associated with other forms of gaming, including bets on virtual sports and even online poker.
There are two major asterisks that we must mention in relation to this aspect. Firstly, these figures cover only circa 80% of the online gambling market in the UK, thus excluding in-person formal and legal gambling. Secondly, these entries do not reflect a total of because there may be players that may be accessing multiple types of gambling.
Returning to Finder’s data, we know the number of gamblers in the UK is much larger than around 13 million. Their surveys say 48% of the UK’s population (more than 25 million people) have participated in some form of gambling during the active month. Note that the study’s latest update is in September 2024.
Euronews quote figures that would place the online gambling rate as being 27.9% of the UK consumers of gambling services.
Preferences
The same study from Finder starts to shape some other details that include some interesting percentages related to player preferences. Quite interestingly, the main form of gambling remains the lottery model, with 31% of consumers acting for the national lottery and 16% of them option types of charity lottery tickets.
Of the entire market, 9% opt for betting on various (sports) events. The rest of 18% that makes up the entire market goes toward online instant games (6%), slots (5%), bingo (4%) and other casino games (3%).
Demographic Groups
This 27% section of the market is very interesting when paired with demographic statistics. We also receive key data from the Gambling Commission that Statista corroborates. Its gambling participation stats according to February 2024 shows that the biggest proportion of player demographics are in the 45-54 old male profile.
However, the Commission’s statistics of participation bring forth a very key fact: removing lottery participation actually brings the 35-44 (male) age group to the top. This can tell us that more modern options that qualify as gambling are rising in popularity among demographic groups with a better grasp of modern technology.
As we’ve already established, online gambling like slot gameplay and betting racks in over 10 million users, distinct or otherwise. Coupled with the age groups with the biggest gambling engagement (excluding the lottery, of course), we can see that access to modern technology allows users to access online gambling options.
Despite the high popularity among older people, gambling appears to also attract young people to a very significant degree. The youngest sector of adults, those between 18 and 24 years old, have a 36% engagement rate with gambling. The next one, the 24-34 years old sector, likely has bigger economic opportunities given the 45% participation.
Obviously, the products provided by the market help this significant level of popularity. As slotscalendar manages to track, the UK market has a soaring number of high-quality gambling brands. Given the comprehensive offering, the figures can shift towards an ascension in most demographic groups.
Conclusion
We’ve observed the gambling preferences and the profile of the gamblers in the UK, but it’s safe to say that the passing of the generation will also shift these preferences. However, the 2.5% problem gambling in the UK drafts a universal principle: gambling must be responsible at any point in one’s life!
