People in the UK love to bet. It is more than just a pastime on these isles, it’s deeply ingrained in the makeup of the culture. How people place their bets continues to fluctuate, as many have moved to places like online bookmakers not on gamstop, searching for better odds, looser rules, and faster payments. Other British punters remain entrenched in their general betting ways. Gambling in the UK is not just about people earning winnings, it is a reflection of deep-rooted history and culture. Let’s explore the story of betting in Britain from its early infancy right through to the present day.
While betting has existed in Britain for centuries, the government has enforced several laws to restrict it. It was not until the 17th century that betting started to flourish. This rise in popularity came from increased attention to organized horse racing in the 17th century and was mustered by the interest of King Charles II, who gave prominence to the Newmarket race course. A tradition of racecourses like Newmarket and Ascot becoming high-society events originates from that period, when royals would indulge with society’s elite to wager money on the sport, spending their money in more ways than just investing in art.
The activities that were occurring in the early days of organized horse racing – the traditional home of British betting – started to trickle down to the general public and started to become a norm within society. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the lottery was developed for the public, and the everyday Victorians began to integrate gambling into their life as the working class started to forge a newfound identity. This openness to gambling and flourishing of British working-class culture started to solidify gambling as a part of daily life.
This would be further solidified with the introduction of the football league in the early 20th century. For many, football became a way of life, drawing in masses of supporters from all corners of the country. This collision of such a working-class sport and the traditional notions of gambling culture started to merge further, allowing for a continued boom.
London played a huge role in the rise of gambling, hosting racecourses and huge football games over the years allowed it to develop its importance as the political and economic centre of the UK.
London became inundated with the gambling fever in 1960 following the introduction of the Betting and Gambling Act, which marked a further shift in UK betting. This Act legalised betting shops, which saw London and the rest of the UK swamped with thousands of betting shops. Bookmakers were now visible and, more importantly, regulated.
With the regulation and legitimisation of betting now accessible to everyone in the country, the tradition of betting and the culture of gambling were allowed to expand. And expand they did. At exponential levels.
In recent times, many believed that gambling was petering out. However, with the introduction of online gambling and the rapid growth of the iGaming world, London and the UK have continued to participate and contribute massively to the industry. London’s high-speed connectivity and fast-paced lifestyle are the perfect fit for iGaming companies looking to offer rapid, promoted betting to their customers.
This convenience played into the British punter’s hands and the majority of betting is now done online. The bonuses, variety, and trendy spaces created by online gambling companies allow many to tap into betting more easily than before, and have managed to combine the tradition of sports betting with the new emerging tech in the digital age.