September 2007 saw the Gambling Act become fully operational, and with it the culmination of a huge number of changes in the UK gambling landscape. Attracting massive criticism from certain quarters, those sub-sectors bearing the brunt have been the supercasino, fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs) and online betting and gaming. All major bricks-and-mortar operators have an online presence, offering sportsbooks (which this report concentrates on), as well as casinos and poker, and there are dozens of other online-only betting companies.

September 2007 saw the Gambling Act become fully operational, and with it the culmination of a huge number of changes in the UK gambling landscape. Attracting massive criticism from certain quarters, those sub-sectors bearing the brunt have been the supercasino, fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs) and online betting and gaming. All major bricks-and-mortar operators have an online presence, offering sportsbooks (which this report concentrates on), as well as casinos and poker, and there are dozens of other online-only betting companies.

The betting industry has evolved from the betting shop punter in the 1980s, to phoning a call centre to place bets in the 1990s to a younger, more aware punter betting online. During this evolution, betting on horseracing has lost ground, mainly to football, but also to the sheer number of leisure options that have contributed to horseracing losing ground as a leisure activity overall. With every new generation of bettors and gamblers, the more focus shifts towards football and casino games and away from horseracing.

This report looks at online betting, the main players and consumer participation and attitudes towards betting online, as well as exploring the question: “Will online betting broaden the punter profile or just change existing gambling habits?”

Main themes of the report:

Can online sportsbook betting compete with online casino games and poker?

The importance of in-game betting and whether all websites have this facility.

The impact of the Gambling Act upon online betting.

How much is online betting worth in the UK?

Do bricks-and-mortar/online bookmakers have an advantage over online-only companies?

The level of self-regulation in the industry.

Has problem gambling risen, and particularly among online gamblers?

Who bets online, on what sport or event and how much?

Who has taken full advantage of the relaxation of the advertising regulations?