Zona de Azar UK – Impact of Covid-19 on Gambling Behaviour in August 2020 (Report)

UK.- October 20th 2020 www.zonadeazar.com The Gambling Commission has published further data showing how the Covid-19 period has impacted gambling behaviour in Great Britain.

The data reflects the period between March and August. It covers both online and in-person gambling, from Licensed Betting Operators (LBOs) found on Britain’s high streets and also includes consumer research.

The latest data for August shows that:

  • The online market contracted slightly, with the number of bets down 2%, of which real event betting decreased 12%, and the number of active customers decreased 7%. Gross gambling yield (GGY) decreased 12%. These figures may be attributable to the break in English Premier League football, the holiday season and the loosening of restrictions allowing for more discretionary spending options.
  • The number of online slots sessions lasting longer than an hour decreased by 7% with the average session length remaining steady at 21 minutes.
  • The number of customer interactions undertaken has risen 11%; 4% of those interactions reported were direct contact from staff (down from 5% in July).
  • High street betting – GGY has remained steady, while total bets and spins decreased both by 2% since July.
  • Gambling behaviours continue to evolve as the country responds to challenges posed by Covid-19, but further underlines the importance of the Commission’s updated guidance to operators.

This included guidance to online operators in May - setting out the need for improved affordability checks, the prevention of reverse withdrawals and restrictions on bonus offers. This was reinforced for land-based premises in June when they were allowed to reopen.

The Commission continues to track Covid-19 related risk by:

Assessing the impact of the strengthened guidance issued to operators
Collecting and publishing the data being gathered
Supporting the industry as land-based premises begin to open
Where evidence identifies additional risks faced by consumers, taking further action to protect consumers.

Edited by: @MaiaDigital www.zonadeazar.com

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