The UK major gambling regulatory body has published more data regarding the connection between customers’ online gambling behaviour and the relaxation of lockdown measures across the country. The UK Gambling Commission has used operator data reflecting the months from March 2020 to July 2021 and covers data gathered from digital gambling operators.
The latest update published on the UK gambling watchdog’s website contains operator data from July 2021. As revealed by the UKGC, the overall activity in the online market remained relatively stable in July, with the number of active players also remaining steady. Online bets saw a 5% growth, while the gross gambling yield (GGY) declined by 8%.
Furthermore, the UKGC revealed that the GGY generated by slots rose by 4%, reaching £187 million in June and July. The number of spins was subject to a 6% increase, and the number of active players increase by 1%.
The UK gambling watchdog said that the number of digital slots sessions that took longer than an hour rose by 4% and reached over 2.4 million. According to reports, the average session length remained pretty much unchanged at 19 minutes but almost 8% of all sessions lasted over one hour.
Online Gambling Companies Should Monitor Their Customers for Signs of Problem Gambling
The Gambling Commission explained that its officers are aware of the fact that the UK is now entering a different phase, as people will have to adjust to their life out of lockdown. This could be challenging for some of them, especially considering the lengthy lockdowns during the coronavirus pandemic, so operators will have to be extra vigilant as each customer is impacted in a different way by the process. Some of them will probably feel vulnerable because of the uncertainty associated with their financial circumstances, jobs or personal lives.
As far as gambling is concerned, some people may have adopted new gambling habits or routines during the several lockdowns in the UK, which may make it harder for them to change their current routines while they return to their normal routine before Covid-19. Some of them could find it challenging, so the UKGC said gambling companies should be careful not to miss any signs of struggling.
The gambling regulator noted that some gamblers, especially ones who are highly engaged in various ranges of products, could spend even more time and money on gambling services in the process. Some of these players are likely to have been gambling more over the summer, especially with the large number of sporting events, as the July dataset actually covered the latter half of the Euro 2020 tournament. This is also likely to remain relevant in the months to come as the English Premier League (EPL) is starting.
The UKGC encouraged the operators to keep a close eye on their customers, especially to the ones who demonstrate signs of problem gambling behaviour. Companies need to interact directly with the customers in cases when triggers are reached and must not try to lure customers into getting more engaged in their services by using adverts, special offers or other enticements.
- Author
Daniel Williams
