UK Gambling Industry Posts £17.5bn Yield, Remote Sector Leads Rise

The latest annual figures from the Gambling Commission show that Britain’s gambling industry continues to grow, with total gross gambling yield (GGY) reaching £17.5 billion between April 2025 and March 2026.

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That marks a 4.4 percent rise compared to the previous year. Remote gambling, particularly online casino play, has become the main driver of this increase, while land‑based activity remains steady but faces ongoing decline in betting shop numbers.

The report also highlights how contributions from lotteries to good causes have risen, even as the number of licensed premises across the country continues to fall.

Remote gambling drives growth

Online gambling has taken the lead, with Remote Casino, Betting and Bingo (RCBB) generating £8.3 billion in GGY, a 6.9 percent increase year‑on‑year.

Casino games dominate this sector, producing £5.7 billion, of which slots alone accounted for £4.8 billion. Remote betting added £2.4 billion, largely from football (£1.2 billion) and horse racing (£769.3 million). Remote bingo contributed £147.8 million. 

Despite this growth, the number of new account registrations fell by 3 percent to 32.4 million, and active accounts dropped to 25.7 million. 

Funds held in customer accounts also declined by nearly 14 percent, showing that while online play is expanding, consumer activity is shifting in other ways.

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Land-based sector holds ground

The land‑based side of the industry reported £4.9 billion in GGY, a modest 1.1% increase. Betting shops, however, continue to close, with numbers down to 5,617, a 3.6% fall and the twelfth consecutive reporting period of decline. 

Non‑remote betting GGY slipped by 3.3 percent to £2.4 billion, with machines making up nearly half of that total. Casinos saw a slight rise to £933.9 million, while bingo halls posted £703.8 million, up 8.2%.

Arcades also grew strongly, with adult gaming centres generating £761.4 million, an 11.3% increase.

Lotteries remain a major part of the gambling landscape. National Lottery ticket sales reached £7.9 billion, with £4.5 billion returned as prizes and £1.7 billion directed to good causes, a 2.8% increase.

Large society lotteries also expanded, with ticket sales climbing to £1.2 billion and contributions to good causes hitting £498.5 million. Together, these figures underline the continuing role of lotteries in funding community projects while sustaining player interest.

By March 2026, the number of licensed gambling premises stood at 8,081, down 2 percent from the previous year. Gambling operators numbered 2,154, a 1.1 percent decrease, while licensed activities rose slightly to 3,097. The Commission notes that Britain now has a stronger evidence base than many jurisdictions.

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