UKGC Releases Q1 2025-26 Gaming Industry Report

Overview of UK Gambling Sector Performance

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has released its latest report covering the period from March 2020 to June 2025, specifically focusing on the first quarter of the 2025-26 fiscal year. The report highlights shifts within the British gaming industry, noting a decline in sports betting that was balanced by growth in other gaming categories.

Gross Gaming Yield Metrics for Q1

For the first quarter of the 2025-2026 fiscal year, the UKGC reported that the online gross gaming yield (GGY) reached GBP 1.49 billion. This marks a 2% increase compared to the same period the previous year, signaling ongoing expansion in the online gaming sector.

The total volume of online bets and spins rose by 6% year-over-year, hitting 26.1 billion transactions. However, the average number of monthly active user accounts dropped by 10%, settling at 12.7 million accounts.

In contrast, the GGY from real event betting was GBP 570 million, representing a 9% decrease from the prior year. This decline was driven by a 7% reduction in total bets and a significant 16% drop in active accounts.

Slots showed strong performance with a 14% increase in GGY, reaching GBP 745 million. This growth corresponded with an 8% rise in total spins, while monthly active accounts remained steady at 4.4 million. Both slot GGY and total spins hit record highs during this quarter.

Conversely, betting premises saw a 5% year-over-year decline in GGY, totaling GBP 552 million, accompanied by a 3% decrease in bets and spins which fell to 3.2 billion.

Changes in Player Session Behavior

The report also shed light on player engagement trends, revealing a 9% decrease in online slots sessions that lasted longer than one hour, totaling 8.8 million sessions. These extended sessions made up just 5% of all sessions, compared to 6% in the previous year.

Consequently, the average duration of a slots session shortened by one minute, averaging 16 minutes. The UKGC noted that some operators updated their methods for calculating session lengths during this quarter, which influenced overall session counts.

Introduction of Maximum Stake Limits for Online Slots

Another significant change outlined by the UKGC was the implementation of a new maximum stake limit for online slots starting May 21, 2025. This limit restricts bets to GBP 2 per spin for players aged 18 to 24, and to GBP 5 per spin for players older than 24, aimed at promoting responsible gambling among younger adults.