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    One in ten pounds spent on leisure in the UK goes to gambling

    news thumbnail image

    Gambling makes up 10.69% of the UK's leisure spending, but it's not the biggest expense. See how it stacks up against other activities.

    There are so many ways consumers can stay entertained. TV, media, going out, food deliveries, hobbies, to name just a few. Naturally, online gambling nowadays also plays a big part in the entertainment department and is enjoyed by thousands of people across the globe.

    Recent data proves it by revealing that around 10.69% of average players' monthly leisure spend in the UK goes toward gambling. Let's explore the topic further:

    Concerns regarding UK consumers’ monthly leisure spending

    A recent report by the Department of Trust (DoT) revealed that gambling is a big part of UK consumers’ monthly leisure spend. It includes players who have played at least once (and thus made at least one payment) in UK online casinos and brick-and-mortar gaming establishments between April 2023 and April 2024.

    So, gambling makes up 10.69%. However, this is not the only form of entertainment that raised concerns. Other expenses that have raised eyebrows included dining or going out at 11.81%, food delivery at 11.37%, lunch and snacks at 7.56% and drinking at 7.27%.

    These percentages are considered pretty high compared to hobbies and activities (2.40%), raising the question of how consumers spend their time and funds.

    DoT CEO and founder Charles Cohen comments on the matter:

    “Money talks, and in this case, it eats too since people spend more on pizza than on a punt. Stay-at-home fun, such as Netflix, food delivery and betting online, is only about a third of leisure spend: the rest is spent on going out or going away.”

    In general, fingers are always pointed at gambling as a big expense or problem. Still, the latest reports show that most funds are going towards entertainment media, subscriptions, and food deliveries.

    Data talks

    The data identified bettors who made deposits over £150 as high-value gamblers. According to DoT DEO and founder Charles Cohen, the data suggests that most UK gamblers consider this a healthy mix of different activities and socialising.

    For the average bettor, gambling is 5th on their spending priority list. Whereas for high-value players, we see gambling at the top of the priority list as those consumers spend a lot on wagers.

    The stats indicate that high-value gamblers spend about 17% monthly on their favourite pastime, which equates to an average of £452.38. DoT also said that such players have a distinct spending pattern, and the largest portion of their leisure budgets goes to iGaming.

    Responsible Gambling & Play Safe

    The data proves that gambling plays a significant role in terms of leisure activities spending and underlines the importance of the authorities and operators understanding this behaviour in terms of larger consumption trends.

    So, instead of zooming in on just gambling, one should zoom out and get the whole picture when it comes to spending and leisurely activities.

    On the horizon: UKGC to enforce deposit limits

    Players may see some changes to their spending habits with the latest series of regulatory changes planned by the UKGC as part of their mission to enhance consumer protection.

    These include mandatory deposit limits for new players, increased transparency of customer funds, and statutory levy implementation on gambling operators. All these changes are expected to take effect from 31 October 2025.

    According to Tim Miller, the UKGC’s Executive Director for Research and Policy, the changes in the UK gambling regulations will play an important part in maintaining transparency across the gambling sector, with the focus on showing their commitment to ensuring fair gambling, giving players more power and choice.

    This aims to assist consumers in setting deposit limits and keeping track of their spending. It also ensures that consumers are fully aware of what always happens with their funds, which can greatly benefit especially when an operator becomes insolvent.

    2025 brings forth more transparency and player protection measures implemented to protect player funds. The UKGC says that while there is no legal duty among gambling operators to protect customer funds in the event of insolvency, many do so voluntarily.

    Leave us a review on Trustpilot!

    Published: February 28, 2025

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    Deni avatar image

    Article by Deni

    CasinoWow Contributor

    Hi, I’m Deni and I am here to ensure you have all the information you need to make informed decisions about online casinos and games and, of course, have fun while doing it. I do so through in-depth research and a keen eye for detail resulting in comprehensive reviews and engaging articles. Let’s explore the iGaming world together!

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