Why Casinos are Becoming One of the Main Leisure Activities/Hobbies in the UK
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Leisure time is important to people in the UK and around the world, and the things we do when we have some spare time can range from the simple pleasures of a box set to binge right through to taking part in some extreme physical activities like rock climbing or stand-up paddleboarding (SUP).
The things we choose to do when we are not at work depend on several factors – the things we might have access to, where we live, and what people in our social or family group might do. If your family and friends are keen fishermen, you might want to pick up a rod, and if clay pigeon shooting is a regular activity for your social circle, you may get involved in that. If you live in a landlocked area, you are less likely to be able to take up sailing or paddleboarding, but you may instead choose rock climbing at an indoor climbing wall.
Hobbies don’t have to be something that necessarily happen outside of your home either. Some people have taken up knitting, started craft projects, dug a vegetable garden, or even picked up a smartphone or a controller to play video games. TV watching and streaming are still popular free time activities enjoyed by people of all ages.
Top Hobbies in the UK
What are the most popular hobbies in the UK? Really, it depends a lot on both your age and your social status.
Some popular hobbies include:
- Eating in restaurants
- Going to the pub
- Watching TV or streaming shows
- Playing video games
- Golf
- Watching football or other sports
- Going to the gym or taking part in some other form of exercise
- Gardening
- Reading
So, how does the casino feature in this? Well, visiting a physical casino is a brilliant way to spend an evening, surrounded by the opulence, glitz, and glamour of the building and the people there. It is a great excuse to get all dressed up and spend some money (with the intention of winning it all back and more, of course).
But, in these modern times where technology has become a real mainstay in leisure activities, the online casino world is where the real growth has been.
In just a single year, the worldwide revenue from the gambling industry has grown by more than 50%, from $287.43 billion in 2021, to $456.61 billion in 2022. This is more than just a flash in the pan, as the industry has seen sharp growth year on year for more than a decade, and in the microcosm of the UK the trend is the same.
Revenue from gambling activities in the UK from April 2020 to March 2021 totalled a Gross Gambling Yield (GGY) of £12.7 billion.
What is more telling, however, is the proportion of that figure that has come from remote gambling (or online gaming).
The Rise of Online Gambling
Online casinos are not as recent an innovation as we might think, with the first online casino launched back in 1994 by a small Internet company named Microgaming.
Since then, the technology and innovation that has come with things like smartphones, wireless connectivity, 5G and wearables has had a massive impact in the growth of online gaming of all kinds – from consoles playing the latest instalment in an epic first-person shooter game, to the smartphones capable of connecting to a video feed of a poker tournament being held thousands of miles away in Las Vegas.
If you want the best online casino experience, you will want to choose the provider that offers the best in bonuses, the greatest selection of games, and the smoothest gameplay – and in this handy article, you can find the right online casino to become your favourite pastime.
The growth of online casinos continues to be affected by the rise in technology, and in the future, we can see expanded virtual and augmented reality, better graphics, and sound, and improved social aspects so that it can really feel like we are in a casino playing slots even if we are waiting for a bus.
Casinos – Physical and Remote
There is nothing that Brits like better than a night out, whether that is to a restaurant or a pub, or something a bit more exotic like a nightclub or a casino. What is interesting is that in terms of revenue, only the restaurant and bar industry brings in more money than the gambling industry – and brick-and-mortar casinos are a big part of that.
Land-based casinos are the place to go for suave excitement in lavish surroundings, but for the same buzz from your bedroom you want to be able to savour the experience from a computer or a smartphone.
Online casinos bridge the gap between those who want the adrenaline rush of putting it all on black 17 at the roulette table, without leaving their house. The online casino offers players the choice between thousands of slots, bingo, blackjack, roulette, and poker, with the opportunity to chat with other players if they want to – and being able to win real money too.
Online Gaming and Gambling
In a recent survey, 26% of adults stated that they played video games between 1-5 hours a week.
According to the UK Gambling Commission, between March 2020 and April 2021, the GGY of remote gambling (Including things like online casinos, sports betting, and lotteries) was £6.9 billion – an incredible rise of more than 18% when the overall GGY of the UK gambling industry dropped by 11% from the year before.
