Changes in gambling behaviour – an overview
The Gambling Commission (UKGC) released figures in May 2025, tracking changes in gambling behaviour from March 2024 to March 2025. We’re going to look at the data and trends in a bit more detail, alongside what we can infer from these statistics.
Key changes – growth
The UKGC report showed steady growth over the last year. Online total Gross Gambling Yield (GGY) was £1.45 billion in Quarter 4 (Jan-Mar), representing an increase of 7% on the same quarter last year.
From this £1.45 billion figure:
- Slots accounted for £689 million (11% increase)
- Real event betting accounted for £596 million (5% increase)
We also learned that there have been more bets and spins this year (up 5%) and more active accounts this year too (up 2%).
On the whole, GGY has grown thanks largely to the online sector, both casino and sports betting.
Whose report?
The data in the report was collected by the Gambling Commission from March 2020 to March 2025. The data we’re looking at here is from the final year (24/25) of this only. The UKGC collected this data from licensed UK operators in both the online and in-person sectors.
The Gambling Commission is the regulatory body that oversees gambling as a whole in Great Britain (but not Northern Ireland). It licenses casino and sports betting operators, as well as regulating the National Lottery, bingo halls, and in-person betting outlets.
The core goal of the Commission is to ensure that the British gambling industry remains fair, safe, and regulated. To do this, they issue (and revoke) licenses, implement fines for breaches, and publish regular data to keep the public informed.
Key changes – decline
While GGY has increased as a whole, there are certain areas of the market that have declined. The most notable decrease is in Licensed Betting Offices (LBOs). The LBO GGY decreased by 3% compared to the same quarter last year, while the number of bets and spins also decreased – by 5%.
A notable shift has been in the number of real event bets. While the GGY for this actually increased by 5% year on year (YoY), the total number of bets decreased by 1% and the average monthly active accounts also decreased, but by 2%.
What do these changes tell us?
On the whole, we are gambling more as a nation, particularly when it comes to slots. 11% YoY growth is strong, even when accounting for inflation at 3-4%. Taking into account inflation in the case of LBOs, that drop is much larger in real terms, signalling a sharp decline in high street betting.
Something of interest is that our spend on online live event betting has increased, but the number of bets has decreased ever so slightly. This shows we are spending more on betting but making fewer bets overall.
What can we learn from these changes?
Player behaviour
The results that show fewer users but a higher spend can’t be argued with. Those who gamble are, on the whole, spending more. In terms of sports betting, this could suggest that people are studying form, and making larger, but more well-informed bets.
In the case of slots though, it’s not unreasonable to think this statistic might well change by this time next year. When stake limits were introduced at Fixed Odds Betting Terminals in 2019, the spend per customer declined dramatically.
Stake limits on slots were implemented in the UK on 9 April 2025, setting a £5 limit for adults and a £2 limit for those aged 18-24. There would not have been time for this to have had an effect on the data in this report, but by the next one, the average stake per customer will likely have dropped.
Affordability checks (financial risk assessments), including upcoming light-touch financial thresholds, are also expected to shape player habits over the coming year, particularly for high-spending users.
What this means is we may see a softening of growth, or even a dip, in next year’s slot-related figures, depending on how player behaviour adjusts. There is also the very real concern that some players, put off by ever-increasing regulation, will head off to the unlicensed market.
The industry
The drop in LBO GGY hints at a potential shift in demographic. Older players have been the core clientele of LBOs for some time, but as this demographic ages out, the GGY has dropped. It seems young, tech-savvy players are boosting GGY for online and mobile operators and moving away from the high street – trend that can be seen across many industries.
We could also be seeing the early signs of an industry that’s focusing on higher-value players over high volume. With affordability checks on the horizon, retention strategies and personalised experiences may become more important than ever.
From a business perspective, this means operators may invest more heavily in data, AI-driven tools, and loyalty schemes to maximise customer retention and value from a slightly shrinking user base.
Summary
Tracking this kind of data does more than just tell us what happened over the last 12 months. It shows us the direction of travel: what’s working, what’s waning, and where regulatory or behavioural trends may be heading. It seems likely though that recent regulatory changes will mean an even greater shift in player behaviours over the next 12 months.
For the UKGC, this reporting is a key part of monitoring industry health, identifying potential harms, and shaping future safeguards. And for the rest of us, it offers a fascinating glimpse into how gambling habits in Great Britain are shifting.
