YouGov: Betting devices – how the UK differs from other markets
Oliver Rowe, global sector head for leisure and entertainment at YouGov, compares device preferences for betting in the UK and further afield
Online gambling is popular in many countries, but the way gamblers access betting and gaming sites differs quite substantially. YouGov’s Global Gambling Profiles monthly survey includes a question looking at devices gamblers use, and we can see the results across 24 countries.
The UK is often considered one of the most mature online betting markets and it is also a country with widespread 4G mobile coverage and fast broadband. As such, it perhaps isn’t a surprise that it leads most countries on placing bets using an app on a mobile phone.
Our data shows that 41% of UK gamblers who have bet online in the past 30 days tend to use an app on their phone the most. A further 17% also mostly use their phone but instead bet via a website. So, in total, 58% of UK monthly online gamblers mainly use their phone. Betting on a website via a computer/laptop comes second (27%) while 12% are using a tablet (either via a website or an app).
Apps on phones are also the number one choice in Portugal (41%), Denmark (34%) and Norway (33%). However, in many other European markets, betting via a computer/laptop using a website is the number one method, including in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Sweden, Greece and Poland.
In the US, betting via an app on a cell/mobile phone (25%) is just slightly less than on a website using a computer/laptop (26%) but a much higher proportion use a tablet than do so globally (22% versus 14%).
More mobile betting among younger demographics
Globally, it is the 18-34s who are more likely to use a mobile/cell phone to place a bet (56%) and just one in five (22%) use a website accessed by a computer/laptop compared to 46% of gamblers aged 55+. Looking specifically at the UK, we find that two-thirds (70%) of monthly online gamblers aged 18-34 mostly use a mobile versus only two in five (39%) of those aged 55+.
What is interesting, though, is that those online gamblers in the UK who bet more frequently (at least three times a week) are more likely to use a computer/laptop to bet via a website than those who bet at least once a month (37% versus 22%). In contrast, the more frequent bettors are less likely to use a mobile phone app (32%) than the less frequent gamblers (44%). This is partly explained by the fact these more frequent bettors tend to be older.
Looking at the UK, sports betting on football is higher among mobile phone app users (76%) than computer website users (61%), but horseracing is top for computer website users (69%) while phone app users are lower (52%). Meanwhile, those using a computer to access a website are more likely to bet on tennis (21%) than mobile phone app users (10%) while NFL betting is the other way round (4% computer versus 11% phone app).
Understanding where, and how, gamblers are placing their bets is fundamental intel for any gambling brand, both in the UK and overseas. Looking to the future – as all parts of life will be affected by new forms of currency and new ways of interacting with one another – the industry must be armed with the right market insights to stay nimble.
Having worked for YouGov for over a decade, Oliver Rowe has advised companies including Tesco and Barclays on their reputation management. He now brings that experience to a sector which includes the betting and gaming industry in his role as global sector head for leisure and entertainment.