UKGC Data Reveals Gains in Online Play and Setbacks in Retail

The Gambling Commission has released its operator data for April to June 2025, offering a detailed view of how the UK gambling market performed in the first quarter of the 2025–26 financial year. The figures highlight continued momentum in online gaming, led by slots, while betting and retail segments experienced declines.

According to the report, online Gross Gambling Yield (GGY) for the quarter reached £1.49 billion, up 2% compared with the same period last year. At the same time, total bets and spins rose by 6% to a new high of 26.1 billion transactions. However, there was a noticeable reduction in engagement levels, as the number of average monthly active accounts fell 10% year-on-year to 12.7 million.

Slots proved to be the standout vertical. GGY from online slots jumped 14% to £745 million, while spins rose 8% to 24.4 billion, both setting new records within the dataset. Active slot accounts remained steady at 4.4 million per month. Despite the surge in activity, players spent slightly less per session on average, with spins per session dropping from 139 to 129 and GGY per session slipping from £4.01 to £3.95.

The period also marked the introduction of  for online slot games. As of April 9, adults are restricted to £5 per spin, while a stricter £2 maximum was introduced on May 21 for players aged 18 to 24. Even with these caps, slots continued to deliver growth, suggesting that players adapted by increasing overall play volume.

Not all sectors showed growth. Real event betting online fell sharply, with GGY down 9% year-on-year to £570 million. The number of bets declined 7%, while active betting accounts dropped 16%. The downturn is largely attributed to the absence of a major international football competition this summer, in contrast to the Euro 2024 tournament that had boosted activity during the same quarter last year.

Retail betting shops also struggled. The Commission reported GGY of £552 million for the quarter, representing a 5% decrease compared to the prior year. Total bets and spins fell 3% to 3.2 billion. Over-the-counter bets increased slightly by 1% to 145 million, though the yield fell 12% to £148 million. Self-service betting terminals (SSBTs) recorded sharper losses, with a 9% decline in bets to 33.4 million and a 1% fall in GGY to £122 million.

Machines inside retail premises followed a similar trajectory. GGY for machines dropped 3% year-on-year to £281 million. Average session spending declined marginally from £12.26 to £12.19, and the number of spins per session edged down from 130 to 129.

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The Commission also tracked player behaviour as part of its safer gambling indicators. Online slots sessions lasting longer than an hour decreased by 9% compared to last year, totaling 8.8 million sessions. These longer sessions represented 5% of all sessions, down from 6% a year earlier. The average session length also shortened by one minute, bringing it to 16 minutes. Overall, the number of sessions climbed by 16% to 189 million.

Operators recorded a significant increase in customer interactions during the quarter. Interactions reached 4.4 million, up 53% year-on-year, with direct operator contacts increasing 58%. According to the regulator, these rises are partly the result of refinements to markers of harm algorithms.

The UKGC also addressed developments in its Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB). The new self-reporting survey methodology led to a reported 2.5% problem gambling rate, compared with just 0.5% in earlier health surveys. Researchers have pointed to survey design and the move from telephone interviews to online reporting as possible explanations for the difference. The Commission has confirmed that future guidance will be updated to better reflect these methodological factors when interpreting results.

Source:

, gamblingcommission.gov.uk, August 14, 2025

, gamblingcommission.gov.uk, August 2025