UK Operators Generate £17.5bn in GGY During Fiscal Year 2025-26

UK betting operators reported a gross gambling yield (GGY) of £17.5 billion for the fiscal year from April 2025 to March 2026. This figure represents a growth of 4.4% compared to the previous year, according to data released by the Gambling Commission. The online segment particularly boosted these results, while the market prepares to face a tighter regulatory and fiscal context starting in April 2026.

Online GGY: Sustained Growth and Diversification

The online segment contributed £8.3 billion in GGY, which signifies a year-on-year increase of 7%. Of this amount, £5.7 billion came from online casino games, and £4.8 billion from online slots. In the online sports betting segment, £2.4 billion was recorded, of which half, £1.2 billion, was solely from football betting. Sports betting on horse racing brought in £769.3 million, and online bingo contributed £147.8 million.

Lotteries, another significant pillar, accounted for a GGY of £4.3 billion.

User Dynamics in Online Gaming

During the period, a 3% decline in new accounts was recorded, totaling 32.4 million. In contrast, the number of active accounts rose by 6.2%, reaching 25.7 million at the close of the last fiscal quarter. This behavior points to a more loyal player base despite the decrease in new registrations.

Trends in Retail Gaming and Lotteries

In the retail sector, the GGR from non-remote betting shops stood at £4.9 billion, 1.1% more than the previous year. Retail sports betting logged £2.4 billion, a decline of 3.3%. Meanwhile, the GGY of retail casinos saw a slight uptick of 0.4% to £933.9 million.

Total sales of National Lottery tickets rose to £7.9 billion, growing by 0.9%. Of this amount, £4.5 billion was returned to players as prizes, and £1.7 billion was allocated to charitable causes.

Operators, Licenses, and Fiscal Adjustment

As of March 31, 2026, the number of active operators fell by 1.1% to 2,154 companies. The Gambling Commission also reported that the number of physical betting shops decreased by 3.6% (5,617 shops), while licenses for gaming premises in Great Britain dropped by 2%, totaling 8,081.

These statistics reflect the situation prior to the increase in remote gaming duty (RGD), which rose from 21% to 40% starting April 1, 2026. Following the enactment of the new tax, several operators— including Flutter, bet365, evoke, Betfred, and Entain— announced layoffs or store closures as a direct response to the fiscal increase.

Regulatory Outlook and Recent Moves

Reports have emerged that the Treasury is considering raising the machine games duty during the upcoming autumn budget planned for October. Prime Minister Andy Burnham also announced his intention to eliminate the ‘aim to permit’ rule, which currently restricts municipalities from preventing the opening of new betting shops.

Ben Haden, Director of Research and Policy at the Gambling Commission, commented on the sector's fiscal data:

"The market changes that reflect industry trends, as seen this year, are complex and depend on multiple factors that require more than one source for thorough analysis. I believe it is essential to publish this data alongside the Gambling Survey for Great Britain to encourage analysis from different perspectives."

Impact for Operators Amid the New Fiscal and Regulatory Environment

The increase in taxation on remote gambling is pressuring operators’ margins and has triggered adjustments in staff and the network of physical stores. The short-term outlook for 2026 is marked by adaptation to both the new regulatory requirements of the Gambling Commission and the fiscal adjustments mandated by the Government.

It remains to be seen how these measures will impact the stability of the market and the relationship between online and retail operators, a priority area of monitoring for executives, investors, and platform providers in the industry [[more analysis in /b2b]](/b2b).