Over 80% of punters believe betting companies should be allowed to offer promotions such as free bets.
On behalf of the Betting and Gaming Council, a YouGov survey was conducted, which revealed that 82% of punters said betting and gaming companies "should be allowed to offer promotions such as free bets" to their customers.
Meanwhile, 54% believe banning promotions would likely force punters to go to unregulated, unsafe black market gambling sites which do offer promotions.
The survey results come as thousands flock to the Cheltenham Festival for the biggest week of racing in the calendar, with millions more planning to watch the event online.
About 274,000 will attend Cheltenham, generating around £274 million for the local economy, while as estimated £1 billion will be staked across four days of racing.
Punters can enjoy 20 hours of live TV coverage throughout the week, with around one million viewers expected each day, and its peak is expected during the Gold Cup on Friday after 1.6 million tuned in last year.
Campaigners for anti-gambling have repeatedly called for a ban or heavy restrictions must be imposed on promotions - to be included in the upcoming Government reforms to gaming and betting, expected to be published within weeks.
BGC Chief Executive Michael Dugher said:
"This survey reinforces what anyone who knows anything about betting already understands - that betting customers, just like consumers of any other product, value offers like small free bets which are subject to strict controls and restrictions to protect the vulnerable.
The market for betting is hyper competitive with most customers using a number of different operators. Banning or severely restricting free bets would be another attack on the punter, it degrades the customer experience, and it also hurts business and that jeopardizes jobs. What's more, as this survey makes clear, if promotions are restricted or banned, there's only one place punters will go, that's the growing, unsafe, unregulated gambling black market.
Ministers should consider the millions of responsible punters enjoying a bet during Cheltenham and not bring in draconian measures in a weak attempt to further placate the tiny minority of anti-gambling prohibitionists."
Betting in the UK
Betting is a widely popular hobby for the British people. Around 22.5 million adults in the UK place a bet each month - whether it is having a game of bingo, visiting a casino, buying a lottery ticket, playing online or placing a wager on horseracing, football and other sports.
The regulated betting and gambling industry contributes £7.1 billion to the economy, generates £4.2 billion in tax, and supports 110,000 jobs.
About Betting and Gaming Council (BGC)
Established in 2019, the Betting and Gaming Council is a single industry body that raises standards, creates a culture of safer gambling, and builds public and institutional trust in the diverse leisure and entertainment industry within the UK.
Source:
https://bettingandgamingcouncil.com/news/huge-majority-of-punters
