The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has announced further data about the impact that the evolving coronavirus lockdown measures have had on British customers’ gambling behaviour.
As the regulatory body revealed, the operator data reflects the period from March 2020 to May 2021 and covers both retail (where relevant) and online gambling operator data. The UKGC further noted that the data has taken into account the fact that land-based premises have been allowed to open only recently since the closures that took place in December 2020. The regulator also explained that making year-on-year comparisons between months in 2020 and 2021 is not advisable because of the different operating circumstances in the two years.
According to the latest online operator data for May 2021, there was a decline in the online market activity in May. The gross gambling yield (GGY) and the number of active accounts fell by 5% and 14%, respectively, while the total bets remained pretty much at the same level.
The slots’ gross gambling yield rose to £211 million from April to May, while the number of spins rose by 2%. The number of active players was reduced by 5%. Furthermore, the UK gambling regulatory body announced that the number of online slots sessions that lasted for over an hour fell by 1%, but the average session length rose by 20.7%. Almost 9% of all sessions were reported to have lasted for more than an hour.
Many Survey Participants Admit Spending More Time and Money on Gambling during Coronavirus Pandemic
The gambling watchdog said that the qualitative research supports the findings of previous research, which has found that many of the survey participants have not changed their online gambling behaviour. However, some of the people who took part in the research admitted they are spending more time on gambling activities than they once used to, and they have also tried some new gambling products during the aforementioned period.
The UK gambling regulatory body said that the more relaxed lockdown regime has brought the country into a new phase. The UKGC, however, shared that gambling companies are still expected to be careful when it comes to the possible impact that the circumstances have on their customers, especially considering the fact that many people could feel vulnerable or insecure as a result of the lengthy coronavirus pandemic and its effects on their personal or financial circumstances.
Reportedly, many people have picked up some new gambling habits and routines during the Covid-19 lockdown that may turn out hard to change even though things are getting back to normal. This should be taken into account especially for people who are highly engaged in gambling, as they usually play a vast range of products and are more likely to spend more time and money on betting and gambling services.
The UKGC shared that gambling companies that operate in the country are still expected to follow the enhanced guidance that the regulatory body issued over the first coronavirus lockdown, and to track data regarding their customers’ behaviour, spending and interest in their game portfolios.
- Author
Daniel Williams
