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How we prepare our industry statistics

Find out how we approach to collating and producing our industry statistics, which report on the size and shape of the gambling industry in Great Britain.

Published: 10 August 2020

Last updated: 22 November 2022

This version was printed or saved on: 14 October 2024

Online version: https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/about-us/guide/how-we-prepare-our-industry-statistics

Overview: Our gambling industry statistics report on the size and shape of the gambling industry in Great Britain. Gambling means gaming, betting or taking part in a lottery.

The publications are Official Statistics and are prepared in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics.

We publish industry statistics every year in November.

Summary of data sources

We collect data to produce our industry statistics from many sources. These include regulatory returns, society lottery submissions and data from the National Lottery licence holder.

Regulatory returns

Regulatory returns are quarterly or annual returns submitted by operators for each licence activity they hold, reporting operational and financial activity.

We require remote (online), non-remote (land-based) casino and large betting licence holders to submit quarterly returns. All other licensees submit annual returns.

These are submitted to us using eServices online.

Quarterly returns need to be submitted within 28 days of the end of the quarter. For example, a return for the period of 1 January to 31 March must be submitted by 28 April.

Annual returns must be submitted within 42 days of the reporting year. For example, a return for the period 1 January to 31 December must be submitted by 11 February.

Society lotteries and local authority lotteries

Society lotteries or local authorities who run lotteries submit their data each time they hold a lottery.

This information is submitted to us using eServices online within 90 days of a lottery draw being made, or when the last scratchcard of a lottery is sold.

Coverage of our statistics

Our Gambling Industry Statistics cover data on gambling products and services provided to customers in Great Britain. Since 1 November 2014, This includes gambling businesses based overseas offering gambling to customers in Great Britain. The statistics do not include data for Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands, which are separate regulatory jurisdictions. The exception is National Lottery data, which covers sales to customers based in Northern Ireland.

Users of industry statistics

Industry statistics are used to monitor the size, shape and performance of the gambling industry, helping users to understand how current and future regulation can be most effective.

The users of these statistics fall into the following categories:

Definitions of terms

Gambling Industry Statistics and regulatory returns use words which are defined within the Gambling Act 2005 and the National Lottery Act etc. Act 1993.

3 Card Poker
3 Card Poker is a card game based on poker.
Account: Customer
Account: Customer is a record, held by an Operating Licence holder, of a customer of that operator, held for the purpose of facilitating the provision of gambling.
Account: Operator
Account: Operator is a record, held by the Gambling Commission, of an entity (for example, public limited company, limited company, partnership, individual) that holds one or more Operating Licences issued by the Gambling Commission.
Active number of accounts (GC licensed facilities)
Active number of accounts for Gambling Commission licensed activities refers to the total number of remote gambling accounts that have been used by customers to gamble on Gambling Commission licensed activities within the last 3 months. These figures do not include suspended or dormant accounts.
Adult Gaming Centre (AGC)
Adult Gaming Centre (AGC) means a premises in respect of which an AGC premises licence has effect. An AGC premises licence is a licence that authorises a premise to be used for making Category B gaming machines available for use. Such a premises can comprise a limited number of B3 and B4 machines and an unlimited number of category C and D machines. No one under the age of 18 is allowed to enter. [GA2005, s238]
American roulette
American roulette is a casino table game involving the use of a roulette wheel.
Arcades
Arcades is a collective term for Adult Gaming Centres, Licensed Family Entertainment Centres and Family Entertainment Centres. Within the Gambling Industry Statistics publication, Arcades refers to Adult Gaming Centres and Licensed Family Entertainment Centres only.
Betting
Betting is the making or accepting a bet on (a) the outcome of a race, competition or other event or process, (b) the likelihood of anything occurring or not occurring, or (c) whether anything is or is not true. For the purpose of Gambling Commission regulation, a "bet" does not include a bet the making or accepting of which is a regulated activity within the meaning of section 22 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (c.8). [GA2005, s9]
Betting (non-remote)
Betting (non-remote) refers to betting which is carried out on course or off course (for example, in a betting shop).
Betting (non-remote): Gaming machines
Gaming machines sited within a gambling premises licensed for betting.
Betting (remote)
Betting (remote) refers to betting in which persons participate by the use of remote communication using the internet, telephone, television, radio, or any other kind of electronic or other technology for facilitating communication.
Betting exchange
Also known as a “betting intermediary”, a betting exchange provides a platform or service designed to facilitate the making or acceptance of bets between others.
Betting intermediary
See Betting exchange.
Bingo
Bingo means any version of that game, irrespective of by what name it is described. [GA2005, s353] It is commonly a game of chance in which players match randomly drawn numbers against a printed or electronically-generated card of numbers.
Bingo (non-remote)
Bingo (non-remote) refers to bingo games which are carried out in a licensed premises (for example, bingo hall) and not via remote communication.
Bingo (non-remote): Gaming machines
Gaming machines sited within a gambling premises licensed for bingo.
Bingo (remote)
Bingo (remote) refers to bingo or bingo-style games in which persons participate by the use of remote communication using the internet, telephone, television, radio, or any other kind of electronic or other technology for facilitating communication.
Bingo games (non-remote)
Bingo games (non-remote) refers to main stage bingo, mechanised bingo and prize bingo which are carried out in a licensed premises (for example, bingo hall) and not via remote communication.
Bingo games (remote)
Bingo games (remote) refers to bingo or bingo-style games in which persons participate by the use of remote communication using the internet, telephone, television, radio, or any other kind of electronic or other technology for facilitating communication.
Blackjack
Blackjack is a gambling card game in which players try to acquire cards with a face value totalling 21 and no more.
Cabinets
See Gaming machine.
Card game
Card game within Industry Statistics refers to casino card game-style games played in remote casinos. We discontinued using this term from April 2017 onwards.
Casino
A Casino is an arrangement whereby people are given an opportunity to participate in one or more casino games. [GA2005, s7]
Casino (non-remote)
Casino (non-remote) refers to casino games which are carried out in a gambling premise (for example, casino) and not via remote communication.
Casino (non-remote): Gaming machines
Gaming machines sited within a gambling premises licensed as a casino.
Casino (remote)
Casino (remote) refers to casino games in which persons participate by the use of remote communication using the internet, telephone, television, radio, or any other kind of electronic or other technology for facilitating communication.
Casino drop
Casino drop is the amount of money exchanged for chips in a casino by a player or players.
Casino games
Casino games are games of chance which not equal chance gaming. [GA2005, s7]
Casino stud poker
Casino stud poker is a casino card game derived from five-card stud poker. Unlike standard poker games it is played against the house rather than against other players.
Casino win
Casino win is the amount of money retained by a casino from the casino drop, after winnings are paid out.
Cricket
Cricket refers to betting on the sport of cricket.
Customer account
See Account: Customer.
Dogs
Dogs refers to betting on the sport of dog-racing. In Great Britain, greyhound racing is the dominant dog-racing sport for betting.
Electronic gaming
Electronic gaming refers to facilities for non-remote casino gambling that enable multiple players to participate in the same casino game (typically roulette) via electronic means, where the dealer is located at a different table. Note that in Industry Statistics, table numbers for electronic gaming refers to the number of player positions not the number of tables.
eSports
eSports refers to betting on eSports, a form of competitions using video games.
External Lottery Manager
An External Lottery Manager (ELM) is a person that makes arrangements for a lottery on behalf of a society or authority of which he is not (a) a member, (b) an officer, or (c) employee under a contract of employment. [GA2005, s257]
Family Entertainment Centre (FEC)
A Family Entertainment Centre (FEC) means a premises (other than an Adult Gaming Centre) wholly or mainly used for making gaming machines available for use. There are two types of FECs, licensed and unlicensed. A licensed FEC is one licensed by us and allowed to offer an unlimited number of Category C and D gaming machines in a premises which is open to all ages. Category C machines must, however, be in a segregated part of the premises that is supervised to prevent children and young people accessing those machines. An unlicensed FEC contains just Category D gaming machines or bingo prize gaming machines and is also open to all ages. Such a premises does not require a licence from us but must have a permit from its local licensing authority. Only data from licensed FECs is included in Gambling Industry Statistics publications. [GA2005, s238]
Football
Football refers to betting on the sport of football.
Gambling
Gambling is gaming, betting and participating in a lottery. [GA2005, s3]
Gambling (non-remote)
Gambling (non-remote) means gambling which is carried out in a gambling premises and not via remote communication.
Gambling (remote)
Gambling (remote) means gambling in which persons participate by the use of remote communication using the internet, telephone, television, radio, or any other kind of electronic or other technology for facilitating communication. [GA2005, s4]
Gambling Act 2005
The Gambling Act 2005 is primary legislation which governs a unified regulatory network for the regulation of all forms of gambling in the United Kingdom, except the National Lottery.
Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2004
The Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014 is primary legislation which makes provision for aspects of licensing and advertising of gambling in the United Kingdom. A key provision is the requirement for all remote gambling operators (whether based in or outside Great Britain) to be required to obtain a licence from the Gambling Commission to enable them to transact with British customers and advertise in Britain.
Gambling premises
A gambling premises is one used to (a) operate a casino, (b) provide facilities for the playing of bingo, (c) making a gaming machine available for use, (d) provide other facilities for gaming, or (e) provide facilities for betting (whether by making or accepting bets, by acting as a betting intermediary or by providing other facilities for the making or accepting of bets). Exceptions apply, including the use of a track by a person for accepting bets, clubs and miners' welfare institutions, premises with alcohol licence, travelling fairs, prize gaming, private gaming and betting, and non-commercial gaming. [GA2005, s37]
Gambling software
Gambling software means computer software for use in connection with remote gambling but does not include anything for use solely in connection with a gaming machine. [GA2005, s41] Gaming Software is also a type of Operating Licence that allows an entity to manufacture, supply, adapt or install gambling software which is used by operators licensed by the Gambling Commission (regardless of where they are based), or (if based in Great Britain) to manufacture, supply, adapt or install gambling software used by operators that do not have a Gambling Commission licence and are based abroad. Various licence types permit the licence holder to conduct all or some of these gambling services.
Gaming
Gaming is playing a game of chance for a prize. It includes a game that involves both an element of chance and an element of skill, a game that involves an element of chance that can be eliminated by superlative skill, and a game that is presented as involving an element of chance, but does not include a sport. [GA2005, s6]
Gaming machine
A gaming machine is a machine which is designed or adapted for use by individuals to gamble (whether or not it can be used for other purposes). This definition includes traditional "fruit machines" and machines on which virtual betting and gaming by machine as well as virtual lotteries. It includes Fixed Odds Betting Terminals. For regulatory purposes, this definition applies to only gaming machines situated in Great Britain or anything done in Great Britain in relation to gaming machines. It refers to any apparatus which uses or applies to mechanical power, electrical power or both. It excludes a domestic or dual-use computer, a telephone or other machine for facilitating communication, a machine which is designed or adapted for betting only on future real events, a machine which disposes lottery tickets or otherwise enables a person to enter a lottery (with caveats), a machine designed or adapted for the playing of bingo by way of prize gaming (with caveats), a machine designed or adapted to be controlled or operated by an individual employed or concerned in arranging for others to play a real game of chance or used in connection with a real game of chance the arrangements for which are controlled or operated by an individual (with caveats).
Gaming machine category
Note that some gaming machines enable play on multiple games, which may be of different gaming machine categories. When reporting the quantity of gaming machines held, licence holders report the numbers of machines at the highest category of game available on it. For example, where a single machine offers both category B3 and category C games, this is reported as one cabinet only at category B3. However, when reporting GGY, licence holders split the total GGY for the gaming machine by the category of games played. For example, the total GGY for all category B3 games on the machine and the total GGY for all category C games on the machine.
Gaming Machine Technical
Gaming Machine Technical is a type of Operating Licence that allows an entity to manufacture, supply, install, adapt, maintain and repair categories of gaming machine or parts of a gaming machine (which includes gaming machine software). Various licence types permit the licence holder to conduct all or some of these gambling services.
Golf
Golf refers to betting on the sport of golf.
Gross Gambling Yield (GGY)
Gross Gambling Yield (GGY) is calculated in accordance with the following formula (a + b - c), where (a) is the total of any amounts that will be paid to the licensee by way of stakes in the relevant period in connection with the activities authorised by the licence, (b) is the total of any amounts (exclusive of value added tax) that will otherwise accrue to the licensee in the relevant period directly in connection with the activities authorised by the licence, and (c) is the total of any amounts that will be deducted by the licensee in respect of the provision of prizes or winnings in the relevant period in connection with the activities authorised by the licence. Free bets or bonuses are only counted when calculating GGY if the customer has the unrestricted right to opt instead to receive a cash equivalent to the value of that free bet or bonus. Loyalty schemes such as ‘rake back’ or ‘VIP cash back’ or similar are not counted towards (a), (b) or (c). Within Industry Statistics, figures for National Lottery and Lotteries are GGY-equivalent and relate to the proceeds from ticket sales minus the amount given out in prizes.
Horses
Horses refers to betting on horse racing events.
Lottery
A lottery is an arrangement where (a) persons are required to pay in order to participate in the arrangement, (b) in the course of the arrangement one or more prizes are allocated to one or more members of a class, and (c) the prizes are allocated by a process which relies wholly on chance. In a complex lottery, the prizes are allocated by a series of processes, and the first of those prizes relies wholly on chance. [GA2005, s14]
Lotteries
Lotteries data within Industry Statistics refers to large society lotteries and local authority lotteries. It does not include the National Lottery or small society lotteries.
Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP)
Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP) is a document produced by the Gambling Commission detailing the manner in which facilities for gambling shall be provided. [GA2005, s24]
Licensed Family Entertainment Centre (LicFEC)
A Licensed Family Entertainment Centre (LicFEC) means a premises in respect of which a family entertainment centre premises licence has effect. A family entertainment centre premises licence is a licence that authorises a premises to be used for making Category C gaming machines available for use. Such a premises can comprise an unlimited number of Category C and D machines. Under 18s are allowed in LicFECs, but not into the area offering Category C machines. [GA2005, s238]
Lottery Duty (National Lottery)
Lottery Duty refers to the amount due from the licensee by way of Lottery Duty pursuant to the Finance Act 1993.
Main stage bingo
Main stage bingo refers to bingo games where a caller calls out the numbers as they are randomly selected. Main stage bingo can be played as a link, where a caller in one premises calls the numbers and his or her voice is broadcast across to multiple premises taking part in the link. In Industry Statistics main stage bingo refers to non-remote bingo games only.
Mechanised bingo
Mechanised bingo refers to bingo games where the selection and calling of numbers is achieved by a mechanised device. Mechanised bingo can be played as a link, where players in different premises play the same games. In Industry Statistics mechanised bingo refers to non-remote bingo games only.
National Lottery
The National Lottery means all the lotteries that form part of the National Lottery, taken as a whole. A lottery forms part of the National Lottery if it is promoted or proposed to be promoted by the person licensed to run the National Lottery and in pursuance of an agreement that has been made between that person and the lottery's promoter or proposed promoter. The promotion of the lottery must be authorised by a licence that has been granted to its promoter or proposed promoter. [NL1993, s1]
National Lottery etc. Act 1993
The National Lottery etc. Act 1993 is primary legislation which governs the regulation of the National Lottery in the United Kingdom.
New account registrations
New account registrations refers to the number of customer accounts that have been opened for customers to gamble on Gambling Commission licensed activities within the last 3 months. Within Industry Statistics only new account registrations for remote gambling are published.
Non-remote gambling
See Gambling (non-remote).
Numbers
Numbers refers to betting on lottery-styled games at fixed odds.
Off-course
Off-course refers to betting which is conducted outside of a racecourse or track (for example, in a betting shop).
On-course
On-course refers to betting which is conducted at a racecourse or track.
Operating Licence (OL)
Operating Licence (OL) means a licence which states that it authorises the licensee (a) to operate a casino, (b) to provide facilities for playing bingo, (c) to provide facilities for betting other than pool betting, (d) to provide facilities for pool betting, (e) to act as a betting intermediary, (f) to make gaming machines available for use in an adult gaming centre, (g) to make gaming machines available for use in a family entertainment centre, (h) to manufacture, supply, install, adapt, maintain or repair a gaming machine, or part of a gaming machine, (i) to manufacture, supply, install or adapt gambling software, or (j) to promote a lottery. [GA2005, s65]
Operator account
See Account: Operator.
Over-the-counter (OTC)
Over-the-counter (OTC) refers to betting in a betting premises which is not gaming machines betting. An exception is betting made using Self-Service Betting Terminal (SSBTs), which is included within over-the-counter betting data.
Peer to Peer
Peer-to-Peer within Industry Statistics refers to poker games where players play each other - as opposed to playing with the gambling operator - within a remote casino.
Personal Licence
Personal Licence (PL) means a licence which authorises an individual to perform the functions of a specified management office, or to perform a specified operational function, in connection with (a) the provision of facilities for gambling, (b) a person who provide facilities for gambling.
Pool
See Pool betting.
Pool betting
Pool betting is generally regarded as any form of betting which is not at fixed odds. It differs from fixed odds betting in that it may not be possible for the punter to know at the time he/she makes a bet, what the potential winnings may be. Stakes in a pool bet are combined and a proportion of the pool is allocated to winners. It is legally defined as betting made on terms that all or part of winnings (a) shall be determined by reference to the aggregate of stakes paid or agreed to be paid by the persons betting, (b) shall be divided among the winners, or (c) shall or may be something other than money. Most pool betting in Great Britain is on horses, greyhounds or football. [GA2005, s12]
Premise
See Gambling premise.
Primary contribution (National Lottery)
Primary contribution refers to the amount payable to good causes from sales after lottery duty, retailers' commission, prizes, retention by the licensee and a number of other adjustments permitted under the National Lottery licence. Primary contribution is transferred together with unclaimed prizes and other miscellaneous payments due under the Third National Lottery Section 5 Licence on a weekly basis to the National Lottery Distribution Fund.
Prize bingo
Prize bingo is a bingo game played for a set prize or prizes determined neither by reference to the number of persons playing nor the amount paid for or raised by the gaming. In Industry Statistics prize bingo refers to non-remote bingo games only.
Proprietary Gross Gambling Yield (Proprietary GGY)
Proprietary GGY is Gross Gambling Yield retained by remote operators which is not subject to a revenue share agreement (that is, is completely retained by the individual operator).
Punto banco
Punto banco is a gambling card game where, instead of playing each other, players play against the bank. The aim is to obtain nine points or get as close to nine as possible. It is typically played in a casino.
Regulatory return
A regulatory return is a means of collecting a range of information from Operating Licence holders within the gambling industry in order to monitor compliance with gambling legislation, regulations and the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice, and to inform the Gambling Commission’s understanding of the gambling market.
Remote betting
See Betting (remote).
Remote bingo
See Bingo (remote).
Remote casino
See Casino (remote).
Remote Casino, Betting & Bingo (RCBB)
Remote Casino, Betting & Bingo (RCBB) is remote gambling on casino, betting and bingo products.
Remote gambling
See Gambling (remote).
Retailers' commission (National Lottery)
Retailers' commission refers to the amount of commission paid to retailers for the sale of National Lottery products.
Retention by the Licensee (National Lottery)
Retention by the Licensee refers to the amount of money retained by the licensee in to fund the operation of the National Lottery including the amount the Licensee retains as profit.
Revenue share Gross Gambling Yield (Revenue share GGY)
Revenue share GGY is defined as a Gross Gambling Yield which is subject to a contractual arrangement to be shared between two or more Gambling Commission licensed operators.
Roulette
Roulette within Industry Statistics refers to casino roulette-style games played in remote casinos. For roulette in non-remote casinos, see American roulette.
Slots
Casino games of a reel-based type (includes games that have non-traditional reels).
Trading room
Trading room refers to premises which provides access to live sporting pictures and remote communication such as an internet-enabled computer intended to be used for betting via a betting exchange. Consumers wishing to bet in-running, most commonly through betting exchanges, pay the trading room operators for use of these facilities. The operator's involvement is limited to administering the arrangements for gambling by others.
Turnover
Turnover is the amount of monies accrued through the sale of an operator’s gambling products before winnings and overheads/expenses are deducted. It does not include turnover from gaming machines, gambling software or gaming machine technical, or a gambling operator’s wider operations (for example, food and beverages).
Virtuals
Virtuals refers to betting on computer-generated virtual events which use a random number generator to decide the outcome.

Methodology

Quality assurance

All regulatory returns, society lottery submissions and National Lottery data are subject to quality assurance check for accuracy.

Each regulatory return is checked for accuracy and consistency with previous submissions and with data from the wider gambling industry. Part of this checking is to see whether the return has raised any flags with our automated systems for quality control. Each return is checked again during the preparation of the Gambling Industry Statistics. If issues are found with the data we will talk to the relevant licence holder, for example the gambling business.

We carry out a similar process for society lottery submissions, while National Lottery data – which we receive daily – is subject to separate quality assurance.

Limitations – Apportioning

Once licensed, gambling businesses determine their own dates for submitting returns. The Commission however use specific reporting periods. If these dates do not align, we use apportioning by calculating a daily rate from the return and multiply that figure by the amount of days (within that return) that are in the Commissions reporting period.

For example, our industry stats reporting period is 01 April 2020 – 31 March 2021 (365 days). An Operator has submitted 2 reg returns during this period:

We then add both figures together to obtain the apportioned figure for the operator over our reporting period. £91.50 + £12.73 = £104.23.

We do not apply apportioning to society lottery submissions, as we only include draws within the selected reporting period of the publication concerned. Similarly, National Lottery data is not apportioned as we receive daily data reporting.

Limitations - Estimating

We use estimating when regulatory returns are late, or when a return is not yet due for submission. For example, for a publication reporting period ending 31 March, all regulatory returns will not, potentially, be received by us until May the following year (for example, if a licensee has a reporting period of March to February) We estimate a licensee’s values by using their last quarterly or annual return. We take that previous figure, calculate a daily rate and apportion it against the missing reporting period.

Limitations – Other

Where there may be limitations with the data we publish, these will be written within the publication alongside the data.

Provisional and revised statistics

There may be differences in the data in our industry statistics on each new publication due to our use of apportioning and estimating. We only update figures for the last three reporting periods. This means our statistics for the last three reporting periods should be considered provisional, meaning they could change in future publications.

Where we receive new data from operators (for example, a regulatory return covering a period for which we had used apportioning or estimating) we will update our data.

Unless any updates to the data create major changes to our statistics, the updated figures will be published in later scheduled publications of Gambling Industry Statistics (annually in November). Sometimes, we may explain any data issues on Industry Statistics pages of our website.

For further information, read the Official Statistics revisions and corrections policy.

Premises data

We do not use apportioning or estimations when calculating premises numbers as operators report to us the number of active premises at the time of completing their regulatory returns. Instead, premises numbers are calculated from the last regulatory return submitted to us before the reporting period used in our Industry Statistics.

Up to March 2012, data about the number and type of gambling premises data was given to us by local authorities. Data from this source was often incomplete. From March 2013 onwards, premises figures have been given to us by operators in regulatory returns, apart from Casino premises data which was taken from Casino Drop & Win data returns until 31 March 2015. Since April 2015 Casino premises data is now collected from regulatory returns. We don’t recommend comparing the data across the different data sources.

Data points

Our data is either based on the position at the end of the year concerned (for example 31 March 2021) or reflects an average of the values for dates falling within each 12-month period (for example 1 April 2020- 31 March 2021) We clearly state this in our publications.

Inflation

We do not adjust historic Gambling Industry Statistics figures for inflation.

Rounding

We calculate our totals and percentages from unrounded figures.