UK Online Gambling Revenue Rises 7% in Q1 2025
The Gambling Commission has released updated quarterly data covering the British gambling market, showing a 7% year-on-year increase in online Gross Gambling Yield for Q1 2025, while revenue from retail betting shops declined by 3% over the same period.
Online Gambling Sees Sustained Growth
According to newly released data from the Gambling Commission, the total Gross Gambling Yield (GGY) for online operators in Q4 of the 2024–2025 financial year rose to £1.45 billion, marking a 7% increase compared to the same period the previous year.
Online engagement also trended upward, with the number of total bets and spins increasing by 5% year-on-year to 25.2 billion. Monthly active player accounts in Q4 reached 13.5 million, up 2% from the previous year.
Slots Continue to Drive Digital Revenues
Online slots remain the leading driver of growth in the digital sector. The segment posted an 11% year-on-year increase in GGY, reaching £689 million in Q4. Total spins grew by 6% to 23.4 billion, while average monthly active accounts rose to 4.5 million—a new record for the dataset. The Gambling Commission notes that historical figures were adjusted following a reclassification of a game from the casino to the slots category.
Sessions of one hour or longer also rose by 5% to 10.1 million, though the average duration of a slot session held steady at 17 minutes. Long sessions (over one hour) accounted for 6% of the total—unchanged from the previous year.
Mixed Signals in Real Event Betting
Real event betting, which includes wagers placed on live sports, generated £596 million in GGY, reflecting a 5% annual increase. However, this growth came despite a 1% drop in the number of bets placed and a 2% decline in average monthly active accounts during the quarter.
While online platforms saw growth, the retail betting sector continued to contract. Licensed Betting Operators (LBOs) on Britain’s high streets reported a GGY of £554 million in Q4—a 3% decline year-on-year. The number of bets and spins made in-person dropped by 5%, down to 3.1 billion.