Chapter 2: Market overviews
Sports betting in the UK has a long history dating back hundreds of years and is extremely popular.
In the early 1800s there were more than 400 betting shops in London alone. Things took a turn in a
different direction in 1853, however, when all UK sports betting was made illegal. The ban lasted for
over 100 years. The industry continued underground during the ban, but it remained mostly hidden
from public view.
Then in 1961, as UK gambling laws were rewritten, sports betting was made legal once again. Almost
immediately, betting shops began to appear across the country again. At present, there are over 8,900
high street bookmakers in the UK, and the country is home to some of the most successful and wellknown bookmakers in the world.
The biggest brands online in the UK include William Hill, Betfair, Bet365, Paddy Power and bwin party.
Number of High Street Bookmakers in the UK, 31 March 2015
Bookmaker
Total betting shops
William Hill
2,309
Ladbrokes
2,205
Gala Coral Group
1,838
Betfred and Tote
1,381
Other
Approx 1,225
Total
8,958
Source: UK Gambling Commission
Number of UK Betting Shops by Operator, 2009-2015
516
806
512
829
1,600
1,500
1,630
514
1,345
1,369
1,383
1,381
1,554
1,607
1,414
1,289
1,225
1,645
1,712
1,725
1,745
1,812
1,838
2,080
2,073
2,097
2,131
2,227
2,271
1,205
2,228
2,263
2,350
2,320
2,345
2,382
2,309
March
2009
March
2010
March
2011
March
2012
March
2013
March
2014
March
2015
William Hill
Ladbrokes
840
Gala Coral Group
Other
Betfred
Tote
Source: Statista
Almost three-quarters of the adult population in the UK gambles in some way each year. Football and
horseracing are the most popular sports to bet on in the UK.
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) national regulatory body has released further details of the
Digital Sports Betting 53