Our lives revolve around convenience in a world that’s moved indoors. Everyday life has become so fast-paced that when you get home after a long day, you want to put on your most comfortable sweater and drown out the noize while unwinding.
The internet and e-commerce have made it easy and convenient to stay home while bringing the shops to your front door. Fortunately, online casinos have also boomed with the internet era, and you can now Play Casino games while curled up on your couch waiting for the pizza delivery.
Kate Richards is an avid iGaming specialist and blogger. She shares the reasons why Brits have bought into and are one of the significant market segments contributing to one of the fastest-growing industries worldwide.
Online Gambling in the UK: The Demographics
Gambling in the UK has always been a favourite pastime, and now that it’s available for all to enjoy online, the demographics are showing fascinating figures. The UK Gambling Commission compiled gambling research in 2019.
It determined that the total gambling market in the UK is worth £14.3 billion annually. Online gambling contributes a whopping 38.6% share to the whole pie. It’s the most extensive total contribution amongst all forms of wagering.
The age group between 25 and 34 years are the most active on online casinos, with 23.1% of them playing online casino games monthly. The next age group doesn’t fall far behind with 22% of all people between 35 and 54 years old gambling online regularly.
What Do Brits Wager On?
- Online slots are by far the British favourite with a 69.3% overall contribution.
- Online Roulette comes in second with a 13.5% market share.
- Surprisingly Blackjack comes in third with 6.1% of all online gamblers opting for this popular card game.
- UK punter’s favourite sports bets go to football, horse racing, tennis, golf and horse racing.
Why Is Online Gambling So Popular in the Uk?
There’s a long list of benefits in favour of placing your bet online. We take a look at the most prominent reasons.
Convenience
Although it’s entertaining to get dressed up for a night out, it’s not always convenient to have to do it when you’re in the mood for a few spins on the reels of your favourite slot. Nothing beats the convenience of being able to make a quick online deposit and start playing casino games from your desktop or phone.
Cost Savings
It’s not only the time and money to travel t a land-based casino that you save. It’s the food and drinks that you’re likely to have while out as well. Let’s face it; you’re very unlikely to spend an entire night out at a casino without indulging in all the added extras that are hard to resist.
Games Variety
Land-based casinos will never be able to counter the variety of games available online. If you’re playing in an online casino, you’ll quickly find a variety of 500+ games. If you still want more, all you have to do is sign in to the next casino lobby and enjoy another 1000+ there.
It’s impossible to determine the exact amount of online casino games available, so playing through it all will take you a while. You can’t get bored with the collection.
Better Chance to Win
Online casinos have lower operational cost as they don’t have the same brick and mortar or staff expenses. The Return To Player rates on online slots is much higher than on slot machines in land-based casinos.
Online slots have an industry-standard RTP of 94%+ while stationary slot machines have an average of 70% to 90%. It’s far better to take a UK gamble at an online casino if your eye is only on the prize.
Welcome Bonuses and Promotions
Land-based casinos do offer VIP programmes and benefits for High-rollers, but online casinos reward you for playing from as little as £5. The online gambling industry is extremely competitive. With so many operators to choose from they entice you by dishing out bonuses regularly from the moment you sign up.
