The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has detailed its market update, revealing how the transactional habits of UK players have changed through the current health pandemic. 

Since March, the Commission has continued to collect data from licensed betting operators representing 80% of the UK gambling’s regulated marketplace.

The UKGC has maintained that its market updates reflect how ‘gambling behaviours evolve as the country responds to challenges posed by COVID-19’, underlining the importance of the Commission’s updated guidance to licensed operators.

In terms of retail transactions, the report revealed increased over-the-counter (OTC) activity recorded during August accounted for 43% of total retail GGY, up 14% to £71 million (June – £62m).

However, August retail indicators highlighted a 2% drop in machine GGY to £79 million (June – £82m), combined with a further 29% decline in SSBT GGY to £16 million June – £23m).  

August’s hiatus of football and seasonal factors saw online gambling GGY decrease by 12% to an estimated £406 million, attributed to a decrease in sports betting activities.

The UKGC stated that the UK market has seen a quieting of its ‘pent up demand for sports betting’ that was witnessed during June and July, as August data revealed a 21% drop in online betting GGY to £164 million.

With regards to safer gambling indicators, the UKGC stated that consumers ‘engaged in more than one gambling activity’ has decreased to 33% from its April high of 41%.