Gambling Commission reports growth across Great Britain’s gambling market

The Gambling Commission has reported that the customer-facing gambling market in Great Britain generated £17.5 billion in Gross Gambling Yield (GGY) between April 2025 and March 2026. The figure represents a 4.4 percent increase compared with the previous financial year and provides an updated view of how gambling activity has developed across remote, land-based and lottery sectors.

The latest figures show that remote gambling was a significant contributor to the increase. Remote Casino, Betting and Bingo, known as RCBB, generated £8.3 billion in GGY, marking a 6.9 percent year-on-year rise. At the same time, land-based gambling recorded a more modest increase while the number of betting shops continued its long-term decline.

The statistics cover the period from April 2025 through March 2026 and are based on information submitted by operators licensed and regulated by the Gambling Commission. This distinction is important because the figures describe the customer-facing gambling market in Great Britain rather than the wider United Kingdom as a whole.

Remote gambling remains central to market growth

Remote Casino, Betting and Bingo produced £8.3 billion in GGY during the reporting period. Online casino games accounted for the largest share within the sector at £5.7 billion, with £4.8 billion generated by slots. The figures underline the continuing importance of digital casino products within the gambling economy.

Remote betting generated £2.4 billion in GGY. Football represented £1.2 billion of that figure while horse racing accounted for £769.3 million. Remote bingo contributed a further £147.8 million. Together, the three areas illustrate the broad mix of products available through regulated online gambling services.

The expansion in GGY did not correspond with an increase across every account-related measure. New account registrations with RCBB operators fell by 3 percent to 32.4 million during the financial year. The number of active accounts stood at 25.7 million at the end of the latest reporting quarter included in the annual figures.

Customer account balances also declined. Funds held in customer accounts were £886.6 million at the end of the final reporting quarter, a 13.9 percent decrease compared with the equivalent period a year earlier. The figures therefore show that changes in gambling yield were accompanied by different movements in registrations, active accounts and account balances rather than a uniform increase across all indicators.

It is also important to distinguish GGY from total money staked. The Gambling Commission defines GGY using stakes and other relevant amounts accrued to a licensee less amounts deducted for prizes or winnings. As a result, GGY should not be interpreted as the total value of wagers placed by customers.

Land-based gambling records modest gains

The land-based gambling sector generated £4.9 billion in GGY between April 2025 and March 2026, representing a 1.1 percent increase. The result indicates that physical gambling activity remained a substantial part of the regulated market despite continued changes in the retail betting estate.

Non-remote betting GGY declined by 3.3 percent to £2.4 billion. Machines accounted for £1.2 billion of that total and represented 49.4 percent of GGY within the non-remote betting sector. These figures highlight the considerable role of gaming machines in the remaining retail betting market.

The number of betting shops fell to 5,617 by the end of the reporting period. That represents a 3.6 percent reduction compared with March 2025 and marked the twelfth consecutive reporting period in which betting shop numbers declined. The Commission separately notes that differences can occur between operator-reported premises data and local authority premises registers because the latter may contain some inactive premises.

Casinos recorded a small increase in GGY, reaching £933.9 million. The Commission reported that this was an increase of £3.6 million, equivalent to 0.4 percent, with casino games generating £695.0 million and casino machines contributing £238.9 million.

Bingo delivered a stronger performance in the physical sector. Non-remote bingo GGY reached £703.8 million, up 8.2 percent compared with the previous financial year. The total consisted of £242.1 million from bingo games and £461.7 million from bingo machines.

Arcades also recorded growth. Non-remote arcades generated £800.1 million in GGY, an increase of 10.7 percent. Adult gaming centres accounted for £761.4 million and rose 11.3 percent while family entertainment centres generated £38.6 million, down 0.5 percent.

Lotteries continue to provide substantial funding

Lottery activity remains an important component of Great Britain's overall gambling market. National Lottery ticket sales reached £7.9 billion in the year to March 2026, an increase of 0.9 percent compared with the previous financial year. Of that total, £4.5 billion was returned as prizes while £1.7 billion was recorded as contributions to good causes, representing a 2.8 percent increase.

Large society lotteries also expanded during the period. Ticket sales reached £1.2 billion, up 5.7 percent year-on-year. Contributions to good causes rose to £498.5 million, an increase of 2.8 percent, while £335.6 million was returned in prizes.

The lottery figures are reported separately within the Commission's industry statistics but form a significant part of the overall gambling landscape. The regulator reported that licensed lotteries, including the National Lottery and society lotteries, represented 24.6 percent of industry GGY when viewed within the published market-share analysis.

Gambling market structure continues to change

By 31 March 2026, Great Britain had 8,081 licensed gambling premises, a decline of 2 percent from the previous year. The number of gambling operators stood at 2,154, down 1.1 percent, while the number of licensed gambling activities increased slightly to 3,097, representing a 0.4 percent rise.

These figures point to a market where the overall value of gambling activity is rising while parts of the physical infrastructure continue to contract. Remote gambling has expanded its economic contribution while betting shop numbers have moved in the opposite direction. At the same time, some land-based segments such as bingo and adult gaming centres recorded notable gains during the same period.

The Commission has also stressed that market trends are complex and may reflect a combination of factors. Ben Haden, Director of Research and Policy at the Gambling Commission, said: “The market shifts that we see in industry data trends and this year is no different, are complex and will be down to a mix of factors that need more than one source to unpick.”

From a regulatory perspective, the latest report adds another year of comparable data to the Commission's industry statistics series. The regulator states that the dataset is intended to support government, licensed operators, trade bodies, researchers, financial institutions, local authorities and others examining the size and structure of gambling in Great Britain.

Conclusion

The latest Gambling Commission figures present a detailed picture of a changing gambling market in Great Britain. Total GGY reached £17.5 billion in the year to March 2026, with the 4.4 percent increase reflecting stronger performance across several parts of the regulated market.

Remote gambling remained particularly significant, with RCBB generating £8.3 billion and online casino activity accounting for £5.7 billion. Slots alone produced £4.8 billion. Meanwhile, the land-based sector increased modestly to £4.9 billion even as betting shop numbers continued their twelfth consecutive period of decline.

Lottery activity also retained its substantial role, with £1.7 billion directed to good causes through the National Lottery and a further £498.5 million from large society lotteries. Taken together, the figures show that growth within gambling is not uniform across every product or channel. Instead, the market continues to evolve through a combination of stronger remote activity, selective land-based growth, declining retail premises and sustained lottery participation.

FAQs

What was Great Britain's total gambling GGY for 2025 to 2026?
The Gambling Commission reported total customer-facing GGY of £17.5 billion for Great Britain between April 2025 and March 2026. This was a 4.4 percent increase compared with the previous financial year.

Which part of gambling generated the most GGY?
The Remote Casino, Betting and Bingo sector generated £8.3 billion. Within that sector, online casino games produced £5.7 billion, making them the largest individual area reported in the remote gambling figures.

How much did remote slots generate?
Slots generated £4.8 billion in GGY during the reporting period, forming the majority of the £5.7 billion generated by remote casino games.

Did online gambling registrations increase?
No. New account registrations with RCBB operators fell by 3 percent to 32.4 million. The number of active accounts was 25.7 million at the end of the relevant reporting quarter.

What happened to customer account funds?
Funds held in customer accounts declined by 13.9 percent compared with the previous year, reaching £886.6 million at the end of the final reporting quarter covered by the annual figures.

How did the land-based gambling sector perform?
Land-based gambling generated £4.9 billion in GGY, up 1.1 percent. Performance varied by segment, with physical bingo and adult gaming centres recording increases while non-remote betting declined.

How many betting shops were operating?
The number of betting shops stood at 5,617 by March 2026. The figure was 3.6 percent lower than a year earlier and represented the twelfth consecutive reporting period of decline.

How much did the National Lottery contribute to good causes?
The National Lottery generated £7.9 billion in ticket sales. The Gambling Commission reported £1.7 billion in contributions to good causes, up 2.8 percent from the previous financial year.

How many licensed gambling premises were there?
There were 8,081 licensed gambling premises in Great Britain by March 2026, representing a 2 percent decrease compared with the previous year.

What does GGY mean in gambling statistics?
Gross Gambling Yield is a regulatory measure based on amounts received through stakes and other qualifying amounts less amounts deducted for prizes or winnings. It is therefore different from total betting turnover.