The Gambling Commission (UK) released its most recent statistics from operators on November 12, 2025. It covers both online and land-based gambling from March 2020 to September 2025. The release compares the second quarter of the 2025-26 financial year (July to September 2025) with the same quarter a year earlier. It also comes at the same time as new rules, such as the online slots stake limit, which will be £5 for all adults starting on April 9, 2025, and £2 for 18-24 year-olds starting on May 21, 2025.
The data reveals that the total Gross Gambling Yield (GGY) for online gambling in Q2 was £1.42 billion, which is a 8% increase from Q2 2024-25. At the same time, the overall number of bets and spins on online goods went up by 3% year-on-year, reaching 26.1 billion in the quarter. It's interesting that the average number of active accounts dropped by 7% to almost 12 million, even while activity and yield increased.
What It Means: A Change in the Landscape
The results give us a detailed picture of the UK gaming market as it is now. The rise in yield and the drop in active accounts suggest that even though there are fewer players, those who are playing may be betting more or placing higher-value bets. The 3% increase in the number of spins and stakes backs up the idea that engaged players are more likely to play more often.
The timing of the changes to the online slots' stake limits is quite important. The £5 and £2 limitations went into place during the time period being looked at. This is only the second quarter since those limits went into effect (for 18-24 year olds starting in late May). So, the data may not yet show the full effects of those modifications. The Commission itself points this out.
What this means for operators, regulators, and consumers
For Operators
The fact that GGY is going up even if the number of active accounts is going down may show how important it is to focus on player value instead of just getting new customers. Operators may also have to deal with more monitoring of higher-value account activity and what it means for responsible gambling.
For Policymakers and Regulators
The dataset will help regulators keep an eye on the industry, especially when it comes to promises to keep people safe. The Commission stresses that this dataset cannot be directly compared to the complete industry statistics (which encompass free bets/bonuses and a wider range of operators), necessitating cautious conclusions. In the short run, we will need several quarters to see how the stake restrictions and other recent consumer protection measures have worked.
For the Public and Consumers
Even though there were fewer active accounts, the increase in total bets and spins may make people wonder how active players are. As rules change, people should be aware of how product restrictions are changing and how important it is to set their own limitations.
Limitations and Setting
The Commission warns that the dataset has several flaws: it comes from operators, doesn't cover all operators, leaves out free bets and bonuses in some ways, and shouldn't be confused with the larger industry statistics. Also, the dataset only goes up to September 2025, so the consequences of regulation change may be stronger in later quarters.
The Evolving Profile of the UK’s Active Gambler
In the future, people will closely watch next data releases to see how regulatory actions like online slots stake limitations, deposit-limit frameworks, and better player safety measures affect the economy of the sector and the behaviour of players. The changing character of the "active player" will likely remain an important theme for operators, regulators, and public policy alike, as yield rises but active accounts fall.
For more data, please visit Gamblingcommission site.