UK Gambling Participation Hits Record Low, But Online Casino Activity Rises

Online betting surges even as overall participation declines, reshaping the UK’s gambling landscape.

What’s Driving the Shift?

Digitalisation and Demographics:
Younger adults, especially men aged 18–24, remain at the forefront of online casino growth. Their motivations are increasingly social and entertainment-driven rather than just financial—a pattern reinforced by the latest Gambling Survey for Great Britain, which shows fun and sociability now outpace monetary gain among the youngest cohort.

Regulatory Environment:
The GSGB’s new methodology, introduced in 2023, offers a more nuanced and immediate snapshot of how—and why—Britons gamble. This data has underpinned the UK government’s ongoing white paper on gambling reform, a suite of measures designed to modernise oversight, bolster player protection, and confront the digital risks that come with rapid market evolution.

Market Paradox:
Despite record-low overall gambling participation, the industry’s digital revenues continue their upward march. Online gross gambling yield rose 7% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2025, underlining a paradox: Britons are gambling less overall, but those who do are shifting ever more of their activity to online platforms.

How Has the New Survey Influenced Regulation Strategies?

The launch of the GSGB in 2023 replaced nearly two decades of Health Survey data—broad, in-home interviews—with a focused, gambling-specific, online survey of around 20,000 Britons annually, setting national benchmarks for participation and risk.

The GSGB now drives UK regulation. Financial risk checks for high-stakes gamblers, a statutory operator levy, deposit-limit prompts, and tighter bonus controls are all informed by its findings—seen by regulators as “evidence-led policy.”

In May, the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) issued nine recommendations to improve GSGB transparency and rigour. The Gambling Commission responded in July, promising more robust methodology (with NatCen and LSE involvement), stakeholder groups, and improved communication on survey bias and limitations. Further refinements are scheduled ahead of the next annual report.

VPN Use, Legal Awareness, and the Black Market

VPN awareness among Britons stands at 76%, and 70% use them routinely online—including for gambling.

About 17% of UK gamblers admit using VPNs to reach non-UK platforms, a share set to rise as regulations tighten and offshore rewards entice users.
Unlicensed operators often mimic regulated brands, blurring consumer understanding and hampering the Gambling Commission’s effort to increase channelisation.

Frontier Economics estimates £2.7 billion a year is staked with black market operators, about 2.1% of all online play.

The Gambling Survey for Great Britain replaced in-home interviews with an online, self-administered format—capturing more accurate and detailed gambling behaviour across the UK.

How the Survey Changed — and Why It Matters

Previously, gambling was just one small part of in-home Health Survey interviews—often leading to underreported behaviour. The GSGB’s online, self-administered format—with a larger, gambling-focused sample—captures more nuanced patterns.

The rise in “at-risk” gambling rates identified by GSGB is chiefly due to better measurement, not a sudden increase in harm, according to the Gambling Commission. These data should be regarded as a new baseline.

Regulatory Changes and Their Data-Driven Basis

Legal operators are adapting to a digital-first, competitive environment, generally supporting evidence-based reforms but warning that excessive restrictions could drive players offshore.

GSGB data is central to rolling out the 2023 White Paper reforms: affordability checks, marketing restrictions, harm reduction initiatives, and clearer consumer protections. Industry and regulators both seek more granular data to guide decisions and reinforce public trust.

International Reactions: Will Others Follow?

No major EU country has yet replicated the GSGB approach, but regulators in the Netherlands, Sweden, and Germany are watching closely. The Dutch Kansspelautoriteit references it in policy talks; the OSR recommends it as a new standard for robust, transparent gambling data.

Industry and Policy Response

Licensed operators back evidence‑driven regulation but warn that excessive limits risk driving players offshore. Policymakers want still finer‑grained data to target interventions and build public trust. The GSGB’s role in shaping the white paper reforms cements its place as a model for evidence‑based regulation.

Internationally, regulators in the Netherlands, Sweden, and Germany have expressed interest in the UK’s approach, and Britain’s OSR has recommended it as a benchmark for statistical robustness.

London — Centre of Gambling Policy Reform and Digital Regulation

Summary

Britain’s gambling market is changing fast: overall participation continues to drop, yet online play among young, digitally confident users grows. The GSGB has set a new bar for regulatory data, shaping reforms in affordability, operator levies, and consumer protection—and consolidating the UK’s reputation as a global policy leader. Whether balancing player freedom and protection can be sustained will test the system’s adaptability.

Further Reading

Gambling Commission: Gambling Survey for Great Britain, Year 1 (2023), Wave 1

Gambling Commission: Business data to March 2025

Frontier Economics: The size and economic costs of black market gambling in Great Britain, BGC, Sept 2024

Office for Statistics Regulation: Review of the GSGB, May 2025

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