The year 2018 has been expected to become the one bringing a range of great changes to the UK gambling sector, both off and online. And so it did. Since the beginning of the year, there have been some major decisions in the industry, which could change the gambling landscape in the UK forever.
With the online and mobile gambling sector being on the rise, the local gambling operators have been facing tougher regulatory rules imposed as part of the stricter regulation brought by local watchdogs. Mergers and acquisitions have also remained as one of the major trends in the UK gambling sector, as well as the growing popularity of online sports betting services.
Stricter Regulation Brought to Operators by the UKGC
The major gambling regulatory body of the UK, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has become more focused on bringing stricter rules to the UK gambling sector in order to guarantee fair, safe and transparent services to customers and keep the latter well protected from possible gambling-related harm.
It was only yesterday when the major UK gambling industry watchdog unveiled new advertising rules as part of its crackdown on the sector. The Commission has been very much engaged in ensuring better protection from misleading gambling advertising to local customers, by adding some new rules for the companies to comply with.
The newly-unveiled rules are to be put into action on October 31st and follow an open consultation and investigation held by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The rising concerns related to the extensive number of gambling adverts aired at the time of live football matches and other sports events and their accessibility to children and more vulnerable individuals have pushed UK regulators to action in order to guarantee players more safety.
Online and Mobile Gambling Rapidly Increases in Popularity
As Casino Guardian has reported earlier, online and mobile gambling has been on the rise in the UK for some time now. Technology developments and progress have been a crucial part of the increasing popularity and rising market share of the industry. More players have been switching from off to online gambling, as they are now given 24/7 access to a great variety of online casinos and other betting options.
According to data revealed in the Gambling Participation and Perceptions Report released by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) in 2017, almost half of the UK adult residents (45%) participated in some form of gambling. A total of 18% of those people revealed that they preferred using gambling websites rather than visiting land-based casinos.
There are various reasons why online and mobile gambling is growing in popularity these days. By betting with online gambling sites, players are able to gamble comfortably from their homes whenever they want to, with the odds of winning being the same as the ones at a land-based casino. In addition, they are able to try the experience offered by a variety of casinos without the actual need of travelling to each and every one of them to gamble.
Mergers and Acquisition to Guarantee More Stability
For some time now, the large gambling companies have been trying to consolidate their presence on the gambling market. Considering the substantial revenue drop that is expected to result from the FOBT stake reduction from £100 to £2, it is likely for the biggest gambling operators to merge or acquire more assets as an attempt to offset the negative consequences from FOBT crackdown.
A number of operators have already started working on such deals, with GVC Holdings already having consumed Ladbrokes Coral to form the largest player in the UK gambling sector. Rumour has it that would not be the only merger deal in the industry in the months to follow, so more proactive measures are expected to be taken by operators in order for them to stay strong.
- Author
Daniel Williams
