Epidemic in online betting gets worse: Covid pandemic

Epidemic in online betting gets worse: Covid pandemic and rise of smartphones sparks 12% increase in web gamblers, according to regulator’s report

  • Some 12.1million people in England were betting online last year, regulator says
  • This is up 1.3million – or 12 per cent – on the 2019 figure, before the pandemic
  • Over the same time, use of laptops and desktop computers for betting has fallen 

A million more adults turned to online gambling during the pandemic last year, figures show.

Some 12.1million people in England were betting online last year, according to the annual report of the Gambling Commission regulator.

This is up 1.3million – or 12 per cent – on the 2019 figure, before the pandemic struck. Critics said the increase has led to a huge rise in profits for operators who provide online betting sites.

Alongside the isolation caused by the Covid lockdowns, the rise of smartphones has also made gambling easier 

Matt Zarb-Cousin, director of Clean Up Gambling, called for ministers to clamp down on online betting as part of a long-awaited government review 

Alongside the isolation caused by the Covid lockdowns, the rise of smartphones has also made gambling easier. 

The report shows that last year, 50 per cent of online gamblers used their phone to bet – up from 29 per cent in 2016.

Over the same time, the use of laptops and desktop computers for betting has fallen.

Matt Zarb-Cousin, director of Clean Up Gambling, called for ministers to clamp down on online betting as part of a long-awaited government review.

‘Online gambling exploded in lockdown, with firms posting record profits,’ he said. ‘At least 60 per cent of which come from those experiencing gambling problems, and online slots driving the majority of the revenue. Consumer protections, such as limits to stakes on slots like we have on fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs), are badly needed in the gambling review.’

The Gambling Commission regulates the British betting industry and issues licences to operators.

Its annual report shows that overall, the number of adults gambling in England fell, largely because betting shops were closed during lockdowns last year.

But at the same time, there was a large increase in online betting.

The commission said it had told operators at the start of the lockdown that they must protect their customers.

‘We have continued to stress the need for extra operator vigilance and they still need to be mindful that people will still be spending more time at home and online,’ its annual report said. ‘Many are likely to be feeling more isolated and vulnerable as a result of the length of the pandemic period and uncertainty about their personal or financial circumstances.’

It also said that some consumers may have started betting for the first time during the lockdowns. The Daily Mail has long campaigned for greater protection for addicts with its Stop the Gambling Predators campaign.

The Gambling Commission regulates the British betting industry and issues licences to operators

The report also shows online betting was increasing even before the pandemic. The gross gambling yield from online gambling increased 8.1 per cent to £5.7billion between 2018/19 and 2019/20.

The report added that along with reminding online operators about their responsibilities to customers at the start of the Covid crisis, it also issued new guidance ‘after seeing evidence that some people may have been at greater risk of harm during lockdown’.

The report said: ‘Included in that guidance were the need for affordability checks, the prevention of reverse withdrawals and restrictions on bonus offers.’

In February, the commission announced changes to make online games safer, such as limits on spin speeds and a ban on celebrating losses as wins.

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