Part 1: The UK – global leader still on growth path
Chart 6: Online football GGY April 2015-September 2017 (£m)
Source: GB Gambling Commission
It means that the leap in online horseracing
What happens from here will be
GGY between April 2015 and September 2017 instructive. The channel shift already apparent
of 57% or £202m should be taken with a could get another significant push following
huge pinch of salt. It might more properly be the UK government’s triennial review’s
characterised as the reporting catching up £2 decision regarding machine staking
with historical trends for horserace betting levels in UK betting shops. If, as predicted,
rather than a pronounced surge within the this leads to widespread shop closures, then
past two or three years. there is the potential for more horseracing
In comparison, the off-course GGY figure
is a much more accurate gauge. The 8%
betting to move online.
None of this is happening in a vacuum
decline since April 2015 is very much in line though, and the degree to which horseracing
with long-term trends. Indeed, horseracing competes with other sports betting
GGY has declined steadily from £844m since opportunities is also evident from the
the year 2008-09, with only a small near Gambling Commission figures. Football,
£20m rise in 2012-13 providing any respite. in particular, continues to lead the way
Yet as much as looking at off-course figures
alone would be enough for any fan of the turf
(see Chart 6).
Growth trends overall are hard to assess
to feel down in the mouth, the picture looks from the Gambling Commission figures,
much rosier when online GGY is taken into there being so little in terms of historical
account. Indeed, the combined figure of data, but looking at football alone, it is plausible
£1.1bn could be taken as a sign of health, that it will be worth £1bn in GGY across the
particularly given it represents a larger figure market at around the turn of this current
than the broad brush £950m extrapolation decade. It’s dominance as a product is sure
from the levy board report. to be maintained.
iGaming Business Market Monitor • UK, Spain and Denmark • September 2018
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