UK Online Gambling Player Research Key Insights
Key findings
Players want: 1. Simplicity
2. Instant gratification
3. Entertainment value
4. An engaging and rewarding winning experience
31
25
22
28
20
9
11
8
6
9
9
10
9
8
6
14
14
12
11
14
16
15
20
17
20
9
13
13
12
15
6
6
8
7
11
7
5
8
10
6
Bingo
Casino
Slots
Sports Betting
Poker
'Less often Once every 2-3 months Once a month 2-3 times a month Every week 2-3 times a week 4-5 times a week Daily/ almost every day
Q3. How often do you play, for money…?
24%
60%
35%
33%
56%
Base: All respondents who play each category
Q1. Which of the following online
gambling categories have you ever played
for money
9%
42%
12%
8%
28%
Q2. Favourite gambling category
Sportsbetting is the most popular product
Why do you like to gamble online?
2
7
19
21
27
37
51
70
2
1
4
7
7
8
17
53
Other
For the social interaction
To test my skill
To make sports more exciting
To pass the time
For the thrill/excitement
For enjoyment
To win money
Any mention
Main reason
%’s
Insight 1: Winning is what matters most…
0
10
20
30
40
50
Quality of the site
Ease of depositing
Bonus offers
Length of cash-out times
Ease of registering
Customer service
Choice of games
Loyalty schemes
Quality of the mobile/tablet site
Ability to bet in store as well
Online poker
Online casino
Online bingo
Online slots
Online Sports betting
How important the following factors are to you when choosing one site over another?
% who gave a score of 9 or 10 (Very important)
%’s 43%
41%
40%
% = Overall mentions
36%
34%
30%
24%
23%
13%
36%
Insight 2: Simplicity, quality and a winning experience are key
What was it that actually made you sign up to your main site?
4
3
3
3
5
5
5
7
7
7
7
8
10
11
12
12
16
28
30
4
1
1
1
2
1
1
3
4
1
2
3
7
5
6
8
9
21
20
Other
Online ads
Good mobile/tablet site
Ability to bet in store as well
Game brands I recognise
Online reviews
Number of games
Familiar games
TV ads
Design of the site
Loyalty schemes
Variety of games
Recommendations
Quality of the site
Special promotions
Best odds
Brand I know
Free bets
Bonus offers
Any mention
Main reason %’s
Insight 3: Free bets and bonuses still rule
85
66
67
19
13
13
9
18
1
4
11
8
25
15
18
14
6
1
2
6
4
19
16
8
5
5
1
3
8
9
23
29
21
18
11
5
4
6
7
10
15
18
26
13
16
2
4
4
5
13
23
28
46
76
Twitch
Spotify
Netflix
Magazine
Youtube
Newspapers
Commercial radio
Television
Never Rarely/ less often Once a month Most weeks Most days Daily
How often, if at all, do you use the following media?
%’s
Insight 4: Facebook is taking over
3
9
9
10
18
22
29
4
18
20
22
39
40
42
Other
Brand I know
Jackpot
Best odds
Bonus
Special offer
Free bet
Any mention Main reason
Have you ever clicked on a gambling advert on a website or social media?
%’s
Significantly less likely to than the average Significantly more likely to than the average
Online poker
Online casino
Online bingo
Online slots
Online sports betting
Gambling category play most frequently
31 30 16 27 17 80 20
No Yes
Thinking about when you click on a gambling advert on a website or social media, what is it that makes you first consider clicking on it?
Insight 5: Players don’t like ads
43 51 46 47 43
43 37 37 36 44
30 23 33 32 39
29 36 39 39 30
25 21 27 24 36
26 23 33 39 14
16 13 19 17 20
23 12 16 11 21
19 26 17 21 14
8 4 3 7 4
What would make you stop using the online gambling site you play most frequently as your main site?
4
17
18
19
24
30
34
35
40
45
Cannot bet in store as well
No loyalty schemes
Poor quality of the mobile/tablet site
Difficult to register
Poor choice of games
Difficult to deposit
No bonus offers
Poor customer service
Poor site quality
Long cash-out times
%’s
Online poker
Online casino
Online bingo
Online slots
Online sports betting
Gambling category play most frequently
Significantly more likely to than the average Significantly less likely to than the average
Insight 6: Simplicity is the name of the game
14
45
41
Don’t know
No
Yes
%’s
Have you ever visited an online gambling site, but not completed the registration process?
6
13
24
26
26
32
43
Other
Didn’t have the games I wanted
Didn’t like the design of the site
Concerned about that site’s security
Didn’t like the terms and conditions
Too complicated
Too many details required
What stopped you from signing up to that online gambling site?
Insight 6: Simplicity is the name of the game
Do you gamble in either of the following ways?
17
40
Using a machine in a land based betting shop
Over the counter in a land based betting shop
Yes
%’s 15% use both
Insight 7: Retail still matters
5 65 30
Decrease Remain the same Increase
19 24 39 19
Not at all important Not very important Fairly important Very important
How important is if for you to have one account that you could use for gambling online and also in land based betting shops?
%’s And, if you could use the same account to gamble online and in land based betting shops, would this make your overall gambling spend increase, decrease or remain the same?
The under 35’s are more likely to see one account as important (75%) and to increase their spend if they could use the same account (45%)
Insight 7: Retail still matters (cont.)
When playing using a smartphone, where are you most likely to do this?
2
15
15
23
25
70
Somewhere else
At someone else’s house
In the pub
Whilst travelling on public transport
At work
At home
%’s
Insight 8: Home is where the heart (and money) is
In which way do you prefer to play?
0
0
9
14
36
40
Land based terminal
Web TV or other interactive TV
Smartphone
Tablet
Desktop
Laptop
%’s
Insight 9: Mobile isn’t always king
Why do you choose not to use a smartphone to play?
3
2
3
5
11
12
18
19
22
47
Other
Less bet types available on mobiles
Less games available on mobiles
Too complicated to set up
Poor signal / coverage / not fast enough to play
Smartphone not good enough to play on
Concerned about security / getting hacked
Do not have one
Not as good experience
Screen too small
%’s
Insight 10: The product needs to fit the channel
• Free bets and bonuses remain the biggest driver of acquisition but the player experience/entertainment factor is becoming increasingly important, more so for sports betting.
• Player experience is crucial with poor site quality and customer service two of the biggest factors in players switching sites.
• Mobile has changed the nature of the market, but it’s still falls short of meeting some players’ expectations.
• The omni-channel experience is more than just hype and something
that taps into a genuine player need especially among the under 35s.
• Future development needs to focus on the player experience and delivering the right product , on the right channel, at the right time for the person.
Conclusions