UKGC Can't Detail 'Other' Remote Betting Data
A Freedom of Information request reveals limitations in how niche online betting markets are tracked by the regulator.
A Freedom of Information response from the UK Gambling Commission reveals it cannot provide a breakdown of its 'Other' remote betting category. This highlights a limitation in regulatory data, as niche or emerging betting markets are grouped into a single, undefined figure.
Article Content
UKGC Confirms 'Other' Betting Data is Not Broken Down
A Freedom of Information (FOI) response from the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has confirmed that the regulator does not hold a detailed breakdown of what constitutes the “Other” category in its remote betting industry statistics. This disclosure highlights a limitation in the public data available for tracking niche and emerging online betting markets.
Context of the Request
The request, dated 20 December 2022, asked the Commission to provide a breakdown of the “Other” category for remote betting, specifically seeking to identify the portion attributed to virtual sports.
In its response, the UKGC clarified two key points:
-
Virtual Sports are Tracked Separately: The Commission stated that statistics for remote betting on virtual sports are already published and can be found in tab 10b of its official Industry Statistics publication. They are not, and have never been, included within the “Other” category.
-
'Other' is a Catch-All Category: The UKGC explained that the “Other” category exists to capture betting on events that are not specifically itemised on the regulatory return forms that licensed operators are required to submit.
Because the category is, by definition, for uncategorised events, the Commission stated, “we do not hold information falling within the scope of this part of your request.” This confirms that the regulator cannot provide a more detailed breakdown because it does not collect that information in the first place.
Why This Matters for Consumers
The UKGC’s industry statistics are a primary tool for consumers, researchers, and policymakers to understand the size and scope of the UK gambling market. This FOI response reveals that while major markets like football, horse racing, and casino games are granularly tracked, a segment of the online betting landscape remains opaque.
Regulatory returns are the forms operators use to report their activity to the Commission. The structure of these forms dictates the data the UKGC receives. If a betting market—such as novelty bets on television shows, political outcomes, or new esports titles—does not have a dedicated field on the form, it is grouped into the “Other” category.
Significance and Industry Implications
This disclosure underscores a structural aspect of regulatory data collection. The lack of a breakdown for the “Other” category means it is difficult to analyse trends in smaller or emerging betting markets using the UKGC’s public data alone.
For consumers, it means that the official statistics do not provide a complete picture of all online betting activities. While the clarification that virtual sports are tracked separately is useful, the composition of the “Other” category remains a blind spot in the industry’s data landscape.