In February of this year, the registration for GamStop increased by 21% when compared to 2020. The numbers reached 6500 people registering with the UK Gambling self-exclusion scheme. The momentum actually started in January, with a 14% increase with more than 7000 new people registering with the scheme. The highest ever number of daily registrations was on the 22nd of February. That number was 326 new people signing up to the UK scheme within a 24 hours period.
UK Gambling Self Exclusion Scheme – GamStop- Releases Its Figures
According to Gamstop, 71% of the people registered in the UK Gambling self-exclusion scheme are male, and 29% are female. The number of women in the scheme recently passed 55,000. When it comes to age, the majority of those who registered (59%) come from the age group that varies between 18-34 years old. GameStop also witnessed the registration of its 200,000th user. According to GamStop, it is a number that they didn’t expect to happen until later in 2021. It also coincided with the annual anniversary of the change in UK Gambling self-exclusion regulation, which was implemented last year.
The regulation mentioned above occurred on the 31st of March of last year. The UK Gambling Commission made it a requirement for all UK licensed online casino operators to be registered with the self-exclusion scheme. The Charity stated that in January 2021, 49328 users out of 177038 tried to gamble, and the scheme successfully prevented them from doing so.
GamStop also stated that it shows that self-exclusion in UK Gambling is not a silver bullet. It added that it instead advocates a more layered approach to tackling problem gambling, which is to include seeking treatment. Therefore, it is collaborating with Gamban and GamCare in its TalkBanStop campaign. It is a campaign that aims to promote the usage of a broad set of tools and support through the UK Gambling National Gambling helpline. Gamstop added that they are happy that it is working as an effective safety net, as per the chief executive of Gamstop, Fiona Palmer.
British Gambling Retail Report and Current Situation
It seems that the future of UK gambling, in terms of retail betting, is unclear. We are in a time where the market is getting re-shaped with new regulatory changes, M&A as well as the current worldwide circumstances.
The effect of the new £2 stake limit on FOBTs was dramatic and immediate. The revenue from the UK Gambling gaming machines tumbled by a total of 41% to reach 1.075bn pounds. As a result, the betting revenue dropped to 1.28bn, which is a 5.2% decrease from last year. The GGY of retail shops fell to an absolute new low of £2.36bn, which is a 26% decrease. The most viable sign of this decrease to the public is the decrease of UK Gambling shop visibility. It peaked back in 2014 with over 9100 shops. By March of last year, the shop visibility decreased by 16% to reach 7861. The number is expected to keep shrinking due to the current closure and circumstances in the United Kingdom and the world.
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