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What does COVID-19 mean for the future of the Gambling Industry?

Disruption on a grand scale has swept through the global economy, and the Gambling Industry has been no exception.

However, unlike verticals such as travel which have seen demand wiped-out across the board, the effect on Gambling has been nuanced. Some facets of the industry, such as online casinos, have seen an increase in demand, whilst others, such as sportsbook, have faltered for obvious reasons. Others, such as Lottery have seen demand for some products increase alongside a massive shift in how consumers buy.

As the ‘stay at home’ message is phased out and the national economy begins to unlock, uncertainty is only increasing. At TIPi Group we have responded the demand for data-led insights and strategic support at this uncertain time by releasing a whitepaper to help Gambling brands navigate the coming months. Some of the most salient key findings from the whitepaper are discussed below.

What effects has COVID-19 had on Gamblers in the UK?

Using GWI’s Coronavirus data we have been able to identify how Gamblers have been reacting to coronavirus and examine how they are differentiated from the national average.

We found that gamblers were consuming more media than the national average, with a surge in activity indexing highly towards online. Since the start of the pandemic:

  • 24% of gamblers are spending more time on apps
  • 35% are spending more time on social media
  • 39% are watching more videos (e.g. on YouTube)
  • 48% are watching more shows / films on streaming services (e.g. Netflix)

In terms of device usage, 48% of gamblers are reporting that they are more time connected on mobile, followed by 41% on laptop.

With around a quarter of all normal spending either impossible or severely discouraged under lockdown and 67% of gamblers predicting that coronavirus will have a ‘small impact’ or ‘no impact’ on their finances, there is opportunity for many to spend both more money and more time on indoor hobbies such as online gambling.

For the complete report please click here