With the increasing number of homes with broadband access there has been a stark shift in the amount of online gaming sites available this new audience. But over the last decade has the increase in online gambling sites had a direct effect on volume of people gambling within the UK? The answer, apparently not.
A study by the Gambling Commission was published this week that concluded that since 1999, the number of people gambling has not increased. The report goes even further to claim that if lottery sales were included the number of people who gamble on a regular basis has actually fallen from 72% to 68%.
The report concluded that 68% of the population, that is about 32 million adults had gambled in the last year. The most popular forms of gambling in terms of number were The National Lottery (57%) Scratchcards (20%) Hourse Racing (17%) and Slot Machines (24%).
These figures are very refreshing in terms of the number of people who are regularly gambling, but I would like to see how this study looks when compared with how much money people are spenting. The UK gambling industry now is now a £42bn industry, so although not as many people are gambling, they are certainly spending more.
The report concluded positive news for the UK, and the figures have not shown as big a shift to online gambling as one would have expected. Out of those surveyed only 6% of people used the internet to gamble, 3% accounting for online poker and bets with an online bookmarker.
Although relatively small, the report does however reflect a changing culture when it come to gambling. People are beginning to bet online, but although there is over 3.5million people who now regularly gamble online, a six fold increase in five years, this still remains a small percentage of overall UK gambling figures. In my opinion this simply demonstrates how deeply gambling is engrained within everyday British culture.
I look forward to seeing the next report planned for 2009-2010, and how the UK gambling industry will inevitably change after the enactment of the 2005 Gambling Act.
