With the UK having the most properly regulated gambling market in the world, it comes with no surprise that online gambling in the UK has no intention of slowing down nor closing it's doors to millions of online players.
The UKGC (UK Gambling Commission) issued it's yearly statistics for year 2016 and the outcome was a strong statement that online gambling is getting bigger and bigger every year, especially in the UK.
The statistics where collected using multiple types of communication mediums such as phone and other online surveys. Targeted people where above 16 years old of age and was performed over a period of 4 weeks.
Let's go over the most important 11 statistic results from this survey.
- 48% of those participating in the survey have gambled at least once in the past 4 weeks. This hsows a 3% increase from the previous year (2015)
- The above 48% drops to 33% when excluding those persons which played only the National Lottery.
- From the total number of people who took the survey 53% of them are men while 44% of them are woman. In 2015 the percentage of men was 50% while women counted up to 41%. That means an increase of 3% on both genders.
- 17% from all those who gambled where online gamblers, 97% of them gambled at the comfort of their own home!
- This is yet the most impressive increase as 43% of those who gambled online used their mobile device or tablet to do so. This is an increase of 10% from last year.
- 23% of the online gamblers do actually read the terms and conditions of online casinos.
- The power of social media is making its self heard as 68% of those aged between 18 to 24 has started to gamble after being drafted from social media posts and adverts.
- There was also a slight increase in identified problem gamblers during the past year of 0.2%. Up to 0.7% from the 0.5% in 2015.
- On a positive side however, an increase of 8% from 2015 was recorded when it comes to awareness of the self exclusion regulation, now up to 37%. 6% of online gamblers have ever self-excluded.
- The most interesting thing is that 67% of those who took the survey think that players should have the freedom to gamble whenever they want.
- 78% however, feel that there is way too many opportunities to gamble online nowadays and 69% feel that gambling is very dangerous for families in general.
Further to the above statistics, some players where also asked why they think some terms and conditions are unfair. The main three resons where:
- the wagering amounts where too high or unrealistic to reach before you are able to claim the winnings.
- limits on the availability of free bets was unfair.
- winning is almost impossible or there is too much house edge.
The above statistics clearly show that UK gambling is nowhere next to dead, but instead, it's healthy and showing huge increase in awareness and responsibility from online gamblers.
We truly hope that more and more jurisdictions around the world will take the same approach, of which eventually, will lead to a more supported industry around the world.
