Sports betting has been popular in the UK for centuries. Royalty made towns like Ascot and Newmarket famous for horse racing and there are now 60 Flat and National Hunt racecourses in Britain, including 17 multi-purpose tracks offering both disciplines. At the same time the less well-heeled bet via underground bookies in the East End of London who mostly offered a less than honest service.

In the UK, sport is are an integral part of life. At 3 p.m. on a Saturday, football stadiums up and down the country welcome in swathes of supporters from both the home and away team to watch 90 minutes of play. Spectators not only enjoy the game, but connect with friends and strangers, with the chance a healthy profit from one of many football betting sites. Sports betting offers an adrenaline rush in an already exhilarating experience.

Legislation and regulation

In the UK, sports betting is enshrined in law, offering a safe and fair environment. Regulation is well developed and strictly enforced by the UK Gambling Commission. All sports betting operators must prove they offer a gambling environment that is good enough for them to be licensed. This includes the use of encryption technologies, the regular testing of random number generators and more.

Choices

In the UK, sports betting can take place at brick-and-mortar bookies and online. It is possible to bet on the outcome of sports ranging from tennis to taekwondo, though football, rugby and cricket are the most popular team games for sports bettors. There are also choices with payment and deposit options thanks to the growth of technology in the last few decades.

Mobile betting

Sports betting is instantly accessible with the growth of mobile applications. There has been a swift uptake of these apps, which have been on offer since the early 1990s. The top betting companies in the UK have invested heavily in mobile betting and are reaping the benefits as nearly all of those who place bets prefer to do so whilst at home, with double-digit growth expected for the next several years.

“In-play” betting

The rise in online betting combined with the pandemic of 2020 has changed the world of sports betting, with many land-based bookmakers in the UK closed forever. New technology has led to bookies offering ‘in-play’ betting that allow punters to bet in real-time as the action unfolds. With welcome bonuses and other promotions, more people are signing up to place bets than ever before.

Advertising

In the UK, you can watch sport at any time of day or night. This means that sports betting is a near constant, which is why so many teams have had betting firms emblazoned on their kit. With gambling advertised widely on social network sites, younger people have been attracted to sports betting. However, this could be short-lived due to a review of gambling laws that began in December 2020.

The review will consider banning sports sponsorship among proposals to overhaul gambling laws. Changes being considered also include limits on online stakes and tough affordability checks. The review aims to strike a balance between protecting the vulnerable, while not spoiling the enjoyment of the estimated 30 million people who enjoy a bet at least once a month.