UK Gambling Market Responds to Online Slot Restrictions

Insights from the UK Gambling Commission's latest report reveal important changes in gambling behaviors across the digital and retail sectors for the first quarter of the 2025–2026 financial year. This period, spanning from April to June 2025, marks the early impact of newly implemented staking limits on online slots. As of April 9, 2025, a ceiling of £5 per spin was placed on adult players engaging in online slot games, while a more stringent £2 limit was imposed on individuals aged 18 to 24 starting May 21, 2025. These updated regulations are part of broader efforts by the Commission to fortify player safety and encourage responsible gambling practices.

Online Gains and Player Activity

Despite a decline in the number of active users, online gambling activities have witnessed a slight revenue increase. The Gross Gambling Yield (GGY) rose by 2% year-on-year, reaching £1.49 billion. This growth is largely attributed to online slots, which recorded a 14% boost in GGY, achieving £745 million. Notably, the slots segment also set new records in both yield and the total spins, which surged by 8% to an impressive 24.4 billion. However, the number of average monthly active accounts experienced a 10% decline, falling to 12.7 million, although online slot accounts remained stable at 4.4 million. Interestingly, although the volume of activity increased, the average session length decreased slightly to 16 minutes, with longer sessions over an hour dropping by 9% to 8.8 million. As a result, only 5% of gaming sessions now extend beyond one hour, a reduction from last year's 6%.

Retail Challenges and Safety Measures Increasing

In contrast to online growth, retail gambling sector experienced a downturn. High street betting outlets reported a 5% decrease in GGY, totaling £552 million, alongside a 3% drop in the total number of bets and spins, which declined to 3.2 billion. Notably, over-the-counter betting saw a slight rise of 1% in the number of bets, recording 145 million, even as GGY in this category decreased by 12% to £148 million. Meanwhile, self-service betting terminals experienced a 9% reduction in bets placed and a 1% fall in GGY. Revenue from gaming machines fell by 3% to £281 million, with a minor drop in average session spends to £12.19 and a decline in spins per session. Despite these reductions, the percentage of machine sessions lasting more than an hour increased slightly to 2.6% from last year's 2.4%. Amidst these shifts, there has been a significant rise in safer gambling interventions, with customer interactions rising 53% year-on-year to 4.4 million, predominantly through automated systems. Direct interventions by operators also increased by 58%, reflecting enhanced capabilities in detecting potentially hazardous behaviors. Overall, the data signifies that while regulatory shifts are reshaping player habits in the online slots arena, retail gambling activities exhibit a more muted trajectory. Source: “Market overview - operator data to June 2025 (published August 2025)”, gamblingcommission.gov.uk, Aug 14, 2025. “Market impact data on gambling behaviour - operator data to June 2025”, gamblingcommission.gov.uk, Aug 14, 2025. By GamesAndCasino