The UK’s official gambling authority, the Gambling Commission, has recently presented its newest data. This offers intriguing revelations about betting frequency, earnings and overall performance of the industry during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year 2023 to 2024, specifically between January and March. When comparing the latest findings to those of quarter 4 from 2022 to 2023, an upward trend is noted both in the online gross gambling yield (GGY) and the overall number of bets placed.
From January to March of this year, the total online GGY reached a noteworthy £1.4 billion ($1.75 billion), indicating a 5% year on year growth. Slot games played a crucial role in this growth, with their GGY witnessing a robust increase of over 10% when juxtaposed with the same period the previous year.
In addition to the impressive online GGY posted for the fourth quarter of this year, there was a considerable surge in the total bets placed, experiencing a 10% leap. Consequently, within the most recent trading period, the aggregate number of bets exceeded 24 billion, a historical feat in the number of bets and/or spins for a single quarter since the Commission initiated data collection. The average monthly active accounts during the January-March 2024 timeframe also saw a year-over-year growth of 2%.
Rise in GGY for Online Slots and Self-Service Betting Terminals
A detailed report provided by the Commission unveiled specifics related to earnings and betting volume through retail venues and the online sector. No eyebrows are raised at the robust growth in iGaming activities reported for the most recent period, primarily driven by online slots.
According to the Commission’s data, online slots GGY touched £614 million ($769.1 million) for the most recent reporting period. This figure signifies an 11% year-over-year growth. Apart from GGY growth, there was a 12% rise in the overall number of bets, setting a new all-time high of 22 billion. Simultaneously, average monthly active accounts saw a 7% increment to 4.2 million, and the GGY per active player experienced a 3% year-over-year growth.
When turning the spotlight to offline betting, there was a distinct rise in bets made via self-service betting terminals (SSBTs). Cumulatively, bets through SSBTs reached a staggering 40 million, marking an 8% year-over-year increase. GGY for the latest trading period rose to £126 million ($157.8 million), a 1% growth, but this represented the highest quarterly data on record.
Conversely, bets made over the counter illustrated a 1% dip for the most recent quarter. There was a significant contraction in the GGY declared by this segment, plunging by 9% to £153 million ($191.6 million). “This portrays the least recorded over-the-counter GGY by Licensed Betting Operators for an entire quarter since being entirely open,” clarified the Commission.
