Like many industries, the UK betting and casino world has seen seismic change since the turn of the century. The internet heralded a sea-change in how punters could place their wagers and what used to be seen as a slightly seedy activity, the preserve of race tracks and dingy betting shops is now entirely normalised. Sports betting, traditionally limited to horse racing and football, expanded to cover everything that moves. Brand new online casinos emerged, offering 24hr coverage for any number of games, including slot machines and bingo. The Blair government’s Gambling Act of 2005 removed any remaining shackles around advertising for betting companies. Football teams across the land started to bear the names of various gambling companies on their shirts and billionaires were created as companies like Bet365 and Betfred grew exponentially in the new climate.
Lottery
The Covid Pandemic
Much of the world has changed, possibly permanently, in the last two years, and the enforced isolation has had a profound effect on the UK gambling industry. The number of betting shops, already in steep decline, fell a further 12.3% to 6,735 over the course of 2020. Remote or online betting now makes up 52.3% of the total market, worth £5.9 billion a year. Companies like William Hill and Ladbrokes, the big guns of the high street for so long, no longer see the sense in paying steep rent for betting shops when they can offer a total service online.
Fixed Odds Betting Terminal (FOBT’s)
In the shops that remain active, Fixed Odds Betting Terminals make up nearly half the revenue of the non-remote market. Even after the UK government’s recent decision to lower the maximum allowed stake from £100 to £2, the growth of machines has continued unabated. FOBT’s bring in an estimated £629 million each year, a healthy boost to the tax levy. Even in the traditional domain of horse and greyhound racing, betting shops now see computerised or cartoon races dominate ahead of real-world action. They are not prey to delays or weather cancellations. The sport of kings has competition in the shape of computer programmes and it isn’t a race it is winning.
Battle of the Sexes
Long seen as a predominantly male pursuit, the modern UK betting landscape is a much more distaff-friendly place. Online Bingo, in particular, has seen a huge growth in female bettors, and is worth a cool £98 million a year. With the significant and welcome growth in the coverage of women’s sport on television, betting sponsorship is sure to follow. Betway’s recent sponsorship of the Ghanaian women’s football team is a case in point. Billed as the “official development partner”, Betway have promised to pour money into the Women’s game. It is likely that further deals will be done across the globe, normalising the idea of betting on sport for more and more women.
The National Lottery
Since it started in 1994, the National Lottery has been part of the cultural landscape of the UK. Millions of pounds have gone to charity and good causes, not least in the development of sport, both grass roots and professional. The British Olympic performances have improved beyond all measure, almost entirely due to a nation enjoying a flutter on their lucky numbers. Following on from 1996’s pathetic return of 1 Gold medal at the Atlanta games, the UK is now regularly in the top 5 of medal nations. Whatever one’s feelings about betting are, there is no doubt that the UK’s love of a punt is here to stay.