New casinos and the rate at which they're entering the UK market

Casinos are a huge UK buzzword, and the number of players enjoying casino games in the United Kingdom has never been higher. The reduction of gambling laws in the past 10 years has allowed for improved access to both online and land-based casinos, resulting in a more accountable and open gaming industry that’s more accessible to the average player. Online casinos are not the only ones in the industry that’s booming right now, as land-based casinos are also enjoying extraordinary interest as well.

Where UK players were once forced to attend smoky underground spielers or back-street, blacked-out casinos to enjoy their favourite casino games, the UK casinos of today can operate more out in the open. From easy membership to land-based casinos and fixed-odds betting terminals, offline gambling has never, in the history of gambling, been so accessible.

• More women and recreational players are taking to both offline and online casinos.
• A boom in television advertising is normalizing gambling at casinos and attracting new players.
• A crossover between live and online loyalty programs are driving gambling traffic.
• The increasing economy is more responsible for gambling habits in the UK than overall participation.

Casino Games in the UK

Casinos were once considered the preserve of the ruling classes. However, they have now considered entertainment venues where players are more likely to watch a show or have a meal instead of hitting the roulette tables. That said, the accessibility to casino games has never been so easy. Fixed-odds betting terminals are widely available on the high street, providing roulette and slots without needing a membership, while casinos situated in the UK have completely scrapped membership, allowing anyone to walk in and place a bet. At the same time, the latest roulette and 3D slots are available on both desktop and mobile devices at the click of a button.

UK Casino Growth Factors

The UK gambling industry has expanded in size over the past decade, thanks to the rapid growth of online games as well as the liberalisation of gambling laws. The 2005 Gambling Act, that came into effect in 2007, managed to open the doors for television advertising for poker, online casinos, and sports betting, giving betting companies access to homes across the United Kingdom. Income from remote betting, including online bingo, online poker, and online casinos was a mere £817 million in 2009, but has since managed to reach £4.5 billion, which makes up for a third of the industry.

The gambling industry in the United Kingdom is generating well over £2.3 billion towards the United Kingdom GDP, and makes a massive contribution to the economy, supporting over 40,000 jobs. The gambling industry has a total economic footprint of more than £5 billion, and will likely continue to thrive into the future with more online casinos being introduced to the market every month.