Is gambling becoming normalised in the UK?

Over the last five years, the UK has become far more accepting of gambling as a leisure pursuit, with many more people from all walks of life regularly participating. In part, this is down to a relaxation of legislation that happened almost a decade ago. 

One of the measures set out in the Gambling Act 2005 made it far easier to advertise gambling activity on the TV and online. In the seven years after the act was passed, the number of TV adverts for gambling doubled and the number of people gambling rose. 

Of course, it’s not just business that has benefited from the surging popularity of gambling. HMRC too has taken a surprising amount from duties on the pastime. In the 2012-2013 tax year, for example, the government received £1.7 billion, a huge amount when you consider that in the same year fuel duty raised £26.6 billion. 

So, what is it about modern gambling that’s given the industry this fresh momentum? Significantly, younger people are becoming more interested in gambling as a source of fun. One Gambling Commission survey showed that between 2012 and 2013, the number of people aged 18-24 who participated in gambling went up from 44% to 49%. This rising popularity with young people may be down to the industry’s investment in technological advancements, which make it easier and more convenient to gamble on the go. The quality of online gambling using mobiles, PCs or other devices has also risen with bookmakers investing heavily in improving their user experience and broadening their market. 

Meanwhile, major investment in online advertising and the greater scope of TV ads, as mentioned above, have dramatically broadened market appeal for many forms of gambling. Today’s gambler has a far more diverse selection of games to play and topics to bet on. Online casino games in particular have seen real and sustained growth, due in large part to players checking in via their mobiles wherever they are and whatever the time of day. The success is also because real world players are crossing back and forth to the virtual world, more and more women are visiting the online casinos and TV ads are reminding people that gambling is an everyday, normal activity. 

One wider factor that is thought to have contributed to the good fortunes of the gambling industry is the overall economic outlook. When times were very tough and money tight, the quick flutter was one way to add a jolt of excitement to life without breaking the bank. Now that we’ve escaped the worst of the recession, those new gamblers can afford to risk a little more on their pastime. Additionally, while sports were once the main subject of betting shop gaming, today people are playing the odds on everything from reality TV shows and elections to movie awards. 

This is indeed an interesting era for both gamblers and for the gambling industry and only time will tell how normalised it will eventually become for gambling to be part of everyday life in the UK.