The Gambling Commission has released its Industry Statistics annual report for the financial year April 2025 to March 2026, alongside updated datasets from the third year of its Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB). The figures indicate that gross gambling yield (GGY) – the amount retained by licensed operators after winnings are paid out – reached approximately €17.5bn across Great Britain, cementing online gambling’s position as the largest combined sector by yield.
Key Figures from the Annual Report
The annual publication consolidates quarterly data released throughout the year. Quarterly GGY during the 2025/26 financial year held broadly steady, standing at £4.3bn in the second quarter and rising to £4.5bn in both the third and fourth quarters. The report provides an overview of GGY generated by licensed operators from Great Britain gambling customers across each customer-facing gambling sector.
The data also reflects structural changes to the Commission’s reporting framework. Following revisions introduced in July 2024 to the way operators submit regulatory returns, quarterly publications now incorporate lotteries and National Lottery data, offering a more complete picture of the regulated market. This has improved comparability across the revised reporting series.
Third Year of the GSGB
The release coincides with the publication of the third annual report from the Gambling Survey for Great Britain, conducted on the Commission’s behalf by NatCen. The 2025 edition collected responses from 20,775 adults aged 18 and over using a push-to-web methodology, with a companion trends report comparing 2025 estimates against previous survey years.
The GSGB was designed as a single, comprehensive population survey covering gambling participation, behaviours, attitudes, and consequences across Great Britain. Data from earlier waves showed that 2.7% of adults scored eight or above on the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), a figure equivalent to approximately 1.4 million people. The Commission has also issued guidance on the appropriate use of GSGB statistics, encouraging analysts to reference confidence intervals when reporting survey estimates.
Context: A Changing Regulatory and Fiscal Landscape
The latest data arrives during a period of significant adjustment for the sector. Remote Gaming Duty increased from 21% to 40% on 1 April 2026, materially altering the tax burden on online operators. Separately, new compliance rules took effect on 29 July 2026 requiring the immediate removal of non-compliant gaming machines, supported by £26m in government funding directed at tackling illegal gambling.
These developments form part of a broader framework shaped by the statutory levy and wider regulatory reform, with operators facing heightened expectations around anti-money laundering governance, data quality, and player protection.
