New data from the Department of Trust (DoT) reveals that gambling accounts for 10.69% of the average UK consumer’s monthly leisure spending. The study, based on the financial habits of over 300,000 consumers, examines how gambling integrates into overall leisure expenditures. Between April 2023 and April 2024, consumers deposited a total of £150.8 million with UK-licensed gambling operators, excluding the National Lottery.
Breakdown of Leisure Spending
On average, UK consumers allocated £390 per month to leisure activities. Gambling ranked fifth among leisure spending categories, trailing behind entertainment media, dining out, holiday expenses, and food delivery. The following table provides a detailed breakdown:
| Category | Total Spend (£) | % of Total | Avg. Spend/Person/Month (£) |
| Entertainment, TV, Media | £173,389,386.49 | 12.29% | £47.53 |
| Dining or Going Out | £166,624,821.58 | 11.81% | £45.67 |
| Holiday Expenses | £164,688,653.01 | 11.67% | £45.14 |
| Food Delivery | £160,398,961.33 | 11.37% | £43.97 |
| Gambling | £150,803,522.48 | 10.69% | £41.34 |
The data indicates that UK consumers spend more on streaming subscriptions, dining, and food delivery than gambling. McDonald’s emerged as the most frequently chosen food delivery option among gamblers, with 87% of reviewed consumers making purchases from the fast food chain.
High-Value Gamblers: Distinct Spending Patterns
For high-value gamblers, those depositing over £150 net monthly with gambling operators, gambling represents the largest share of their leisure budgets. This group spends an average of £452.38 per month on leisure activities, with 42.15% of that allocated to gambling. In comparison, casual gamblers spend £386.67 per month on leisure, with gambling accounting for 10.69% of the total.
High-value gamblers also spend proportionally less on other categories, such as food delivery (£36.52, or 8% of the total) and media subscriptions (£35, or 7.75%).
DoT CEO Charles Cohen commented on the data, stating:
“Money talks and in this case, it eats too, since people spend more on pizza than on a punt. Stay-at-home fun, such as Netflix, food delivery, and betting online, is only about a third of leisure spend: the rest is spent on going out or going away.”
He also noted that gambling appears to coexist with other activities, suggesting it does not dominate leisure habits. Interestingly, over a third of gamblers reviewed contributed to charities directly from their bank accounts, and gym and fitness subscriptions were common among the sample group.
The findings emphasise the importance of understanding consumer behaviour within the gambling sector, particularly as high-value gamblers allocate a significant portion of their leisure budgets to this activity. These insights could inform strategies for industry regulation and responsible gambling initiatives.
