UKGC: Online gambling participation up 11% in 2019
New survey from the UK regulator reveals double-digit rises across all key verticals
The number of people gambling online in the UK has risen by 11% year-on-year in the 12 months to September 2019, according to new Gambling Commission survey.
In a survey of 4,003 individuals, 20.5% of respondents said they had gambled online within the last four weeks, up from 18.4% of respondents during the previous reporting period.
The proportion of respondents who said they had bet online by 22% year-on-year when compared to the same period of 2018, with 6.6% of respondents doing so within the last four weeks.
Of people that had gambled in the past month, the proportion of individuals who had played online casino rose by 41% between 2018 and 2019, with 76.9% of respondents saying they had done so during the last four weeks.
Online sports betting participation rose by 23% year-on-year during 2019, with 81% of respondents saying they had bet online during the last four weeks, compared to 65.7% during the previous period.
Participation in the national lottery online rose by 10% year-on-year during 2019 with 34.1% of respondents saying they had played the national lottery online during the period.
However, participation in online bingo fell by 37% year-on-year during 2019, with 22.7% of respondents saying they had played bingo online within the last four weeks.
Elsewhere, the number of individuals gambling once a month, but less than once a week rose by 10% year-on-year during 2019, with 33.4% of individuals saying they had done so over this period.
Minor decreases were reported in the percentages of individuals gambling more than two days a week, those doing so once a week and those doing so less than once a month.
Of the sample of bettors used, the largest decrease was reported in those betting once a week, with the percentage of these individuals falling 23% year on year to 25.8% of individuals.
Increases were reported in the percentages of individuals betting more than two days a week, and less than once a month, while the percentage of individuals betting once a month but less than once a week rose during 2019.