Recent statistics released y the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) have revealed the startling amount that UK players are spending at online sports betting sites, with the number being over £600 per second.The Commission revealed that the overall turnover from sports betting in the period between October 2016 and September 2017 came in at just shy of £20 billion, £19.7 billion to be precise, equating to an average of £626 per second.
Risks
Speaking about the new statistics, Marc Etches, who is CEO of GambleAware, said:“These new figures from the UK Gambling Commission show how more people are choosing to gamble online, where there are no limits to stakes and prizes and the use of credit cards is permitted.”“This makes it especially important people are also aware of the risks associated with gambling and so it’s important people know where to find the free help and support available via BeGambleAware.org.”These risks are increasingly apparent, and many players are activelyseeking help, with self-exclusion numbers in the year up to September 2017 being over twice what they were in the previous 18 months, and this number assumed to have risen again since.
Self-Exclusion
Self-exclusion options are growing in popularity with players, and GAMSTOP, a service developed by the Remote Gambling Association (RGA) which was launched in 2017, offers players the chance to exclude themselves from all UK gambling sites for a set period.The UKGC has recently spoke out on flaws in the GAMSTOP system that need to be addressed, but it is clear that the attention on protecting vulnerable players and problem gamblers is growing day by day, and with these recent statistics showing how much money is being spent every second at sports betting sites alone, it’s easy to see why.