Video slots and online slots in the UK have become increasingly popular in the UK according to the 2024 Q3 stats released by the UKGC. (Image by maybeiii on Vecteezy)
In the financial year Q2 of 2024 the UKGC reports that there were 23.3 billion spins on online slots, which year-over-year is a 13% increase.
Now, the number of spins isn’t the critical factor, as the key variable is how much players are betting per spin.
According to the stats, the total GGY in FY Q2 2025 (July to September) reached £680 million. Therefore, 2025 shows a 16% increase in FY Q2 2024, which outpaces the number of spins.
We can easily surmise that spin bets are increasing on average. However, the number of real event bets decreased by 10% over the FY quarter.
The overall number of online bets on real events comes in at 1.9 billion, which, of course, is always going to be far less than the number of spins for slots, as players can’t place bets as quickly as 2.5-second spin bets! Yet, this latest 2025 FY Q2 2 figure is a decline of 10% on FY Q2 2024.
The total combination of real events betting and online slot spins came in at 25.2 billion, which is a 12% rise year-over-year gain. It was the decline in the number of real events betting that meant the combined percentage took 1% off the gain 13% gain made by slots.
Dummies Guide to the UK’s Financial Years
Finance can be tedious, and we don’t all pay attention to how it works or the financial year we are in. Many of us just receive our paychecks while accountants worry about which financial year we are in.
To explain, the UK’s Financial Year (FY) runs from 6 April to 5 April the following year. Therefore, FY 2024 ended on 5 April 2024, and since 6 April 2024, we have been in FY 2024. The current stats issued by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) in this report are for Q2 FY 2025, which runs from July to September 2024.
Now we are clear on the dates, let’s jump into some more data provided by the UKGC.
Overall GGY For Online Gaming in the UK in Q2 FY 2025
Overall revenue compared to FY Q2 2024 with FY Q2 2025 shows an +11%+ rise for the online gambling sector. We have to bear in mind this is before many of the new White Paper Gambling Act 2005 reforms, so it will be interesting to see if next year’s year-over-year comparisons drop or rise.
| Metric | Value / Year-over-Year Change |
|---|---|
| Previous Quarter GGY (Q2) | £1.46 billion |
| Online Total GGY (Q2) | £1.32 billion (+11%) |
| Total Real Even Bets and/or Spins (Online, Q2) | 25.2 billion (+12%) |
Overall Online Slots Stats in the UK in Q2 FY 2025
We have covered many of the most important financial stats for online slots in the introduction. However, as you can see from the accompanying table, the UKGC’s report provided us with a number of other interesting stats.
We have covered many of the most important financial stats for online slots in the introduction. However, as you can see from the accompanying table, the UKGC’s report provided us with a number of other interesting stats.
We have seen a 9% rise in the number of online slot sessions whereby players are spinning the reels for more than one hour. Despite this rise, the average slot session length remains unchanged from last year’s quarterly stats.
Despite the rise in players spinning for 1+ hours, the percentage of sessions has decreased, which is quite a confusing stat. However, to explain this one with a larger pool of total sessions, even though more players are playing for over an hour, this longer play time represents a smaller proportion of the total sessions.
| Metric | Value / Year-over-Year Change |
|---|---|
| Number of Spins (Slots, Q2) | 23.3 billion (+13%) |
| Online Slot Sessions >1 Hour (Q2) | 10 million (+9%) |
| Slots GGY (Q2) | £680 million (+16%) |
| Average Slot Session Length | 17 minutes = Unchanged |
| Percentage of Sessions >1 Hour | 6.1% = -0.5% from 6.6% |
| Average Spins per Session (Slots) | 142 = -5 (from 147) |
| GGY per Slot Session | £4.13 = -£0.07 (from £4.20) |
Land-Based/Offline Video Slots Stats in the UK in Q2 FY 2025
The UKGC stats also including land-based gaming machines. These gaming machines host multiple video slots, while also popular games like Boost Roulette with multipliers and 20p roulette. As you can see from the stats the £533 million GGY resulted in a year-over-year decline of -1%, while the 3.1 billion spins or bets on land-based machines only declined by a mere -0.1% to 3.1 billion.
| Metric | Value / Year-over-Year Change |
|---|---|
| LBO GGY (Q2) | £533 million = -1% |
| LBO Bets/Spins (Q2) | 3.1 billion = -0.1% |
Overall Real Events Betting & Gaming in the UK in Q2 FY 2025
Real events betting includes online betting sites. Interestingly, despite the number of bets decreasing by 10%, the total year-over-year GGY increased by 6%, as did the number of active accounts. It seems a lesser number of people are staking higher amounts.
| Metric | Value / Year-over-Year Change |
|---|---|
| Real Event Betting GGY (Q2) | £453 million (+6%) |
| Real Event Betting – Number of Bets (Q2) | Decreased (-10%) |
| Real Event Betting – Average Monthly Active Accounts | Increased (+9%) |
What Will Next Year’s Stats Bring?
Looking at the current statistics, the UK online gambling entertainment scene may seem like an attractive proposition for iGaming or sports betting companies looking to enter what is now becoming a more stable market. I say more stable because the White Paper really had a detrimental effect on planning for the future for existing companies as well as those looking to break into Great Britain’s online gambling scene.
However, I am not holding my breath just yet because we have affordability checks and the infamous 1% level on all gambling company revenues to come. The cost to online gambling brands may reduce the value of bonuses and other offers online gambling platforms can pass down to players, and therefore, fewer spins, fewer players, and a reduction in GGY.
Also, we have to bear in mind the new online slots £2.00 max bet limits for those 24 and under and £5.00 max bet limits for those 25 and over, have only just come into effect. Now, this could mean less GGY in the long run, but I have a hunch next year’s stats will show an increased number of free spins, as those who spun the reels for over £5.00 a spin will likely commit to lengthier session times.
All in all, the UK is taking away bonus buy, autoplay, and quick spin features from online slots, as well as increasing the minimum amount of time the reels can spin to 2.5 seconds per spin; the online slots market appears to have remained resilient.
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