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There’s no doubt about it, online gambling is a major industry here in the UK. In fact, in 2013, the government received £1.7 billion from betting and gaming duties (both online and offline) which represented 0.4% of all HMRC revenue that year. Whether sports betting, casino gambling, bingo gaming or playing lotto, there are many different factors which contribute to the mass of annual revenue generated by the online gambling industry in the country.
But how much of this comes from playing online games? Although many of us who love a flutter on poker or blackjack, or like to pass the time with a quick spin or two of a video slot would like to think that we are contributing significantly to this industry, in fact it’s not the largest player – though it is a high riser.
Rather the lottery in the UK still generates the highest proportion of revenue both online and offline in the gambling industry, with £831 million of the £1.7 billion coming from lottery. This makes sense when you think about it – how many of us have ever bought a lottery ticket, or still continue to do so regularly? Plus with National Lottery apps, and the ability to buy National Lotto and Euromillions tickets on the go wherever we are, it makes it even easier for people to buy a ticket online for the next big draw. However despite generating a lot of revenue, the actual share of gambling according to those who play actually shapes up to be a bit different.
Although there are less people playing overall and they are perhaps spending less cash each time, a Guardian study found that out of 4,000 adults whose demographics represent the UK as a whole, the biggest percentage of gambling actually goes on dog or horse races. This is according to the study which asks the participants what they gamble on more than once a week.
Closely following this however is online casino games. 35% of participants say they partake in these games more than once a week. This is a huge share of the online gambling and it looks set to grow. Online bingo gaming is also on the rise in popularity, offering more of a share again, with 25% of study participants saying that they partake in this kind of gambling more than once a week. If you’ve never thought about trying bingo in an online capacity, there are loads of benefits to playing this way over going to halls, which have seen a decline in player numbers. Why not read some of the best bingo sites reviews to see for yourself?
The result here seems to be clear: although the share of revenue from online games is currently not the largest in the overall online gambling spectrum, it’s a popular and growing area. The share of people playing along seems to be larger, even though they are spending less money on this type of online gambling. As mobile gambling and casino gaming continues to grow in popularity, the share of online games in the wider online gambling industry is surely set to grow.
