The UK gambling industry recorded a gross gambling yield (GGY) of £4.5 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025, representing a 2.27% increase from £4.4 billion in Q4 2024. The latest data from the Gambling Commission covers October through December 2025 and includes figures for both land-based and remote gambling operations.

Remote Gambling Leads Revenue Growth

Remote casino, betting, and bingo (RCBB) generated £2.12 billion in GGY during the quarter. Remote casino alone accounted for £1.49 billion, forming 70% of the RCBB total. Turnover for remote RCBB activity reached £39.18 billion, with remote betting contributing £599.05 million and remote bingo £38.66 million. These figures highlight the continued dominance of online platforms in driving revenue for the sector.

Land-based operations produced £1.2 billion in GGY. Non-remote betting generated £613 million, accounting for 48.2% of non-remote revenue. Betting shops were the largest contributor with 5,669 venues and 22,291 machines, producing £613.24 million. Adult gaming centres reported £193 million from 1,458 premises and 80,181 machines, while 718 bingo halls generated £173.06 million. Family entertainment centres and non-remote casinos contributed £6.05 million and £238.86 million respectively. In total, 8,148 licensed premises hosted 191,325 gaming machines across the land-based sector.

Participation Trends Across the UK

Wave 4 of the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB), conducted by the National Centre for Social Research from 22 September 2025 to 18 January 2026, provides insight into player behaviour. Among 5,203 respondents, 47% had engaged in some form of gambling during the past four weeks, falling to 26% when lottery-only participants were excluded. Online gambling was reported by 37%, dropping to 15% when excluding lottery-only players, while in-person gambling participation was 27%, decreasing to 17% without lottery-only users.

Participation varied by age. Middle-aged adults demonstrated the highest involvement, with 51% of 35-44-year-olds, 54% of 45-54-year-olds, and 56% of 55-64-year-olds gambling in the past four weeks. Younger adults (18-24) reported 31% participation, but showed a stronger preference for non-lottery products. Men consistently had higher gambling rates than women, particularly in online betting, where 13% of men and 4% of women participated.

Lottery draws remain the most popular activity, with 31% of adults purchasing National Lottery tickets in the previous four weeks. Combined with charity lottery draws, 36% of respondents reported participation. The National Lottery raised £2.02 billion in ticket sales, donating £415.11 million to good causes. Large society lotteries added £126.2 million from £295.75 million in ticket sales.

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Industry Trends and Regulatory Measures

The data underscores the dominance of remote gambling as the primary revenue driver. Aggregate RCBB GGY for the full year reached £5.55 billion, with remote casino contributing significantly. Land-based sectors, while stable, remain secondary in terms of revenue. Live football betting was the most popular live betting activity at 5% of respondents, followed by live horse racing at 3%.

The Gambling Commission announced plans for an AI-powered marketing sweep to monitor gambling advertisements. Operators will be required to remove or amend ads deemed unsuitable for under-18s. Failure to comply could result in sanctions, including referrals to hosting platforms or direct action by the Commission. The initiative follows parliamentary scrutiny of gambling advertising as a public health issue.

These figures and surveys indicate that remote gambling continues to shape the UK sector, with online participation exceeding in-person engagement and lotteries remaining a significant part of the market. The combination of revenue tracking, participation analysis, and regulatory oversight provides a comprehensive picture of the current gambling landscape in Great Britain.

Source:

UK gambling industry generated £4.5 billion in GGY during Q4 2025, igamingbusiness.com, June 5, 2026