The gross gaming yield in the United Kingdom is likely to decrease in 2020 and 2021, as the UK Gambling Commission releases new data indicating the pandemic’s impact on the retail and online gaming industry. 

UKGC Report 

According to figures for the financial year 2021-22, which covered both online and retail gambling between March 2020 and December 2021, the total online GGY was reported to be £421 million in the second quarter of 2021. As a result, the total number for Q3 decreased by 6% year on year to £1.2bn. 

Additionally, the number of total bets/spins increased by 4% between Q2 and Q3, while the number of active accounts remained stable. Additionally, the UKGC said that slots GGY climbed by 1% to £568 million between Q2 and Q3, with the number of spins increasing by 3% to 18.2 billion and the number of active players increasing by 5% to 9.8 million.

Additionally, the number of online video slots sessions lasting more than an hour climbed by 8% during the same period to more than 8.1 million. The average session lasted 19 minutes, with around 7% of all sessions exceeding one hour. Meanwhile, total licensed betting operators GGY fell by 1% to £533 million during the second and third quarters. The UKGC noted that these figures are most likely a result of the suspension of several athletic events in December due to the COVID-19 epidemic, with many tournaments suspending activity entirely and others being harmed by a large number of postponed matches due to illness.

This is especially true for shopping, which was shut down for an entire month between March and June 2020, and even when lockdown limitations were lifted in June 2020, high street establishments continued to confront challenges with player time constraints and client counts. Throughout late 2020, the government’s regional lockdown strategy had an effect on retail operations, with betting shops in different places being subject to varying regulations and so generating varying levels of revenue.

Recognizing the commercial impact of the national reopening, the UKGC remarked that the country is now entering a new phase as we adjust to life following a series of restrictions. They will continue to demand increased vigilance from operators, as consumers are impacted in a variety of ways by the pandemic’s circumstances and the broader economic environment. Many people will continue to feel vulnerable as a result of the pandemic’s length, more worried about their personal or financial circumstances, or readjusting budgets and schedules when life returns to normal with a broader range of financial drivers.

The Gambling Commission 

The Gambling Commission is an executive non-departmental public agency of the United Kingdom’s government, charged with regulating gambling and managing gaming law in the United Kingdom. It regulates arcades, betting, bingo, casinos, slot machines, and lotteries, as well as remote gambling. The Gambling Commission was founded under the Gambling Act 2005 and took over full authority from the Gaming Board for Great Britain in 2007 when it took over responsibility for regulating arcades, betting, bingo, casinos, slot machines, and lotteries, but not spread betting (regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority). The Commission is an independent, non-departmental public entity that is supported by the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport. Additionally, it is responsible for remote gambling, which includes betting online, via telephone, and through other communication methods that offer or advertise services to citizens of the United Kingdom.