Online gambling sites in the UK are attracting
increasing numbers of users with alternative types of betting
and easy-to-use interfaces.
According to Forrester's 'UK Internet User
Monitor', 5 percent of UK Internet users visited gambling
sites and 2 percent bet online in the three months prior to
being surveyed.
The profile of online gamblers is quite
different to that of their offline counterparts. Women and
inexperienced gamblers are more likely to bet online than in a
traditional betting shop, as they do not have to brave the
intimidating atmosphere of a bricks-and-mortar betting shop.
Online bookmakers offer odds on sports other
than horse-racing, the traditional preserve of offline betting
shops. People in higher-income groups are more likely to be
fans of golf, tennis, cricket and motor-racing and they can
bet on these sports online.
Internet users can also gamble on non-sport
issues, such as celebrities' love lives or soap opera
storylines. Gambling sites also facilitate person-to-person
betting, without getting involved in setting odds or stake
sizes.
None of the new-style betting options
cannibalise the traditional gambling demographic, which means
that bookmakers' revenue is increased.
(Nua)
