UK sports betting figures plummet in August

Gross gambling yield (GGY) across almost all verticals fell for the second month in a row, according to new data released by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). Sports betting GGY fell 21% from £209m in July to £164m in August, predominantly due to the lack of domestic football. The Premier League and EFL seasons did not start again until September, having concluded in July.

The total number of bets placed on sports betting also fell by 12% as the total number of active players decreased by 10%, reinforcing the popularity and importance of football to the industry. GGY for online casino (excluding slots) also dropped off from July to August with a 10% decrease to £59.5m, representing a near £20m drop from its May peak during the height of the pandemic (£78m). The lockdown-facilitated boom in popularity and spend for the esports, virtuals and poker verticals has also continued to dwindle. Esports GGY fell 29% from July (£2.6m) to August (£1.8m), while virtuals and poker dropped by 16% and 8%, respectively. Slots managed to avoid a decrease in GGY, remaining flat at 1% growth to £164m after a £3.6m drop off from June to July. Elsewhere, the number of gaming sessions that lasted for more than an hour fell by 7% from July to August, although the total number is still above pre-lockdown levels. The retail sector, which could face more turmoil following the UK government’s new three-tier system to combat the second wave of Covid-19, also experienced some growth from July to August as customers cautiously ventured back to the high street. The number of over-the-counter (OTC) bets rose by 5%, while self-service betting terminals (SSBT) grew marginally by 1%. OTC GGY increased by 14% while SSBT GGY fell by 29%.