British Society Lotteries Hit £1bn Gross Gambling Yield, Driven by Digital Expansion

(AsiaGameHub) –   Society lotteries in Great Britain have achieved a gross gambling yield (GGY) of £1 billion for the 2024 and 2025 financial years. This report was delivered by Ian Angus, the Gambling Commission’s director of policy, at the Lotteries Council Annual Conference. The GGY saw a 4.7% year-on-year increase, while contributions rose by 4.8% to £484.6 million. Furthermore, players received over £316 million in prizes.

These figures underscore society lotteries’ status as one of Great Britain’s most widely participated-in gambling products. The Gambling Survey for Great Britain reveals that approximately 17% of adults, or nearly 9 million people, engaged in a society lottery between July and October. These results are surpassed only by the National Lottery, which saw 32% adult participation.

Digital and telephone markets continue to be dominant, with remote sales generating over £793.3 million of the total GGY. Non-remote channels contributed £314.9 million. This shift highlights a clear transition from traditional methods to online platforms.

However, the Gambling Commission must now place greater emphasis on tracking illegal online activities. Many unlicensed operators are targeting customers through social media and various search engines.

Ian Angus considers illegal gambling a significant threat to the society lottery sector. He urges licensed operators to share their intelligence to help combat the illegal market.

For the past three years, the Gambling Commission has been utilizing £26 million in Treasury funding to strengthen enforcement laws.

Regulators have recorded progress. In 2025, more than 356 illegal lotteries were removed from social media platforms, compared to just 190 in 2024. An additional 79 were taken down in 2026.

The Commission has issued 741 cease-and-desist notices, removed and blocked 1,134 websites, and eliminated 266,667 illicit URLs from search engines.

Angus reminded operators that even if a product is considered low-risk, it still necessitates strong customer protection. According to the latest GSGB report, 2.7% of adults scored 8 or higher on the Problem Gambling Severity Index.

The Commission has launched a Licence Support service, allowing operators to contact them for regulatory guidance and advice. This is a significant step, even though society lotteries are generally considered lower-risk.