Interactive
UK – Over a third of gamblers now prefer to gamble online
By Phil - 16 August 2021
A new gambling study by Toluna, a tech company operating in the market research space, has found that over a third of gamblers now prefer to gamble online with 68 per cent believing a responsible gambling environment is important in choosing a provider.
The study was conducted to understand current gambling interests and attitudes in the UK during unprecedented times. The study surveyed 2,100 people in the UK. It claims that lockdown-induced digital worlds have encouraged more people to gamble with a call for a duty of care approach in providing a responsible and safe gambling environment.
Of those people surveyed in the UK, 51 per cent said they’ve gambled in the last 12 months, with sports betting proving the most popular by 42 per cent of respondents followed by casino games at 36 per cent.
Whilst 26 per cent of respondents said they love to gamble, over a quarter said the social side is a key appeal. Over 20 per cent of those surveyed have spent more money on gambling since the pandemic started. Debit card usage for placing bets continues to grow -with 28 per cent of those asked said they’ll now use debit cards more often – and contactless payments are gaining popularity with 26 per cent agreeing they’d use this method of payment more often.
The most popular sports to place bets among respondents were football at 61 per cent, horseracing at 52%) per cent, followed in third place by boxing with nearly a quarter of people betting on boxing matches in the last year.
When it comes to casino games, roulette at 48 per cent and blackjack at 47 per cent are the most popular choices among players, followed by slot machines at 40 per cent and poker at 40 per cent.
While online gambling was a growing trend before Covid, the pandemic hugely accelerated digital driven gambling. Although venues are currently open, some people now prefer the online environment, underpinning a permanent change in behaviour, perhaps. Over a quarter of those surveyed said they do not want to return to traditional gambling venues whilst 23 per cent of respondents said returning to gambling venues depends on what Covid restrictions are in place.
Nearly half of respondents said they prefer to gamble online with over a third, saying gambling online is much more convenient. A quarter are worried about how easily Covid can spread in a casino or betting shop with 23 per cent are not confident people will follow the social distancing rules, therefore prefer to stay away.
It’s clear people in the UK support a responsible gambling environment – with appropriate regulation playing a key role in achieving this.
Almost half of men are more likely to see a bigger impact in banning bookmakers from sports. sponsorship, while they are also more likely to be aware of such sponsorship and the promotion of gambling that comes with it with 65 per cent believing that adverts play a part in encouraging people to gamble excessively.
Over a third believe this is the case for social media gambling advertising with 35 per cent believing too many website banner ads are also focused on gambling. However, some people disagree that clampdowns on gambling advertising are the way forward and effective.
Denholm Scotford, Head of Research Technology, Media, Telecoms at Toluna, said: “It’s clear the pandemic and time at home has led to increased online gambling activity. Whatever your thoughts on advertising regulation, one thing is for sure, Covid has very likely created a permanent change in gambling behaviour. More people now prefer to gamble online and are still not hugely encouraged to go back to gambling venues despite strict Covid protocols. The longer the pandemic lasts, the further the online gambling market is likely to grow – presenting a big opportunity for gambling providers to expand their online offering but only if they can do so in a responsible way, safeguarding their customers and advocating the importance of knowing your limits and playing within your means.”
