The United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) recently releases data on the COVID-19 effects on gambling behavior. Since this pandemic, it has a drastic impact on the gambling industry in the United Kingdom and the world.
The UKGC then releases a study showing how the current situation affects gambling behavior among Great Britain players. The data covers from March to August when the COVID-19 pandemic first took hold. It also looks at both offline and online gaming activities.
Findings with the COVID-19 Effects on Gambling Behavior
The COVID-19 effects on gambling behavior findings looked at betting not only on the online sector. It as well from the licensed betting operators located on Britain’s high streets. Aside from that, additional data was from consumer research.
August’s latest data shows that the number of bets for the online market decreased by 2%. With that, the real event betting has a much higher percentage of a 12% decrease.
Factors That Attributes the Percentage Decrease
Several factors could attribute to the drop. At the time, the betting odds with the English Premier League on break were limited. Besides, there was the holiday season, as well as the loosened restrictions regarding discretionary spending.
For online slot machines gaming, the sessions for over an hour has a 7% decrease. On average, players are engaging with slots games and enjoy only about 21 minutes.
On the other hand, customer interactions are on the rise, with an 11% increase. The gross gambling yield for high street betting remains at a steady pace. However, the total bets and spins are down by around 2% since July and a center of discussions on most casino chat room sites.
Continuous Tracking COVID-19 and Related Risks
The Commission will continue to track on COVID-19 and all related risks to ensure the industry stays safe for consumers. The commission also has plans to assess the impact of strengthened guidance to operators continually.
Furthermore, the commission plans to support the industry as the land-based facilities start to open. It will take supplementary action to protect consumers when there are additional risks that are at play.
