British-licensed egaming market exceeds £1bn
Latest figures released by Gambling Commission show gross gaming yield from GB-licensed operators grew 16% in year to September 2013
Gross gaming yield (GGY) for remote operators licensed in Great Britain pushed past the £1bn milestone for the first time last year, according figures released by the Gambling Commission.
The regulator’s latest Industry Statistics report, which was released on Friday, showed total GGY for those licensed by the Commission rose from £933m in the 12 months to March 2013 to £1.06bn for the year ended 30 September 2013 “ an increase of 16%.
The rise meant that the remote gambling industry contributed 16% of total GGY for the gambling industry as a whole, up from 14% during the previous period.
High street betting shops continued to provide the greatest proportion of GGY, having generated £3.2bn across the period, equivalent to 48% of the total £6.7bn industry – figures which exclude the National Lottery.
Sportsbooks dominated remote GGY, having accounted for £879m of the total figure, up from the £753m recorded across the previous period and way ahead of pool betting on £108m and casino with £30m.
Of all the remote verticals, only bingo suffered a decline after it recorded just £2m of GGY, down on the £2.5m generated during the previous period.
Future statistical reports will show markedly improved remote figures, however, with all British-facing operators set to be licensed by the Commission from 1 October, following the passing of the Gambling (Licensing & Advertising) Bill into law last month.
At present, the Commission estimates that only 15% of remote gambling activity in Great Britain is conducted under a British licence, with the remainder channelled through operators holding permits granted by other jurisdictions.