Society Lotteries in Great Britain have Recorded £1bn GGY as Digital Growth
Society lotteries in Great Britain have reached £1bn in gross gambling yield (GGY) for the 2024 and 2025 financial years. The report was made by the Gambling Commission director of policy, Ian Angus, at the Lotteries Council Annual Conference. There was a 4.7% year-on-year increase in GGY, and contributions grew by 4.8% to £484.6m. Moreover, the players have received more than £316m in prizes.
Those figures highlight how society lotteries are one of the most participated in gambling products in Great Britain. The Gambling Survey for Great Britain demonstrates that around 17% of adults, or almost 9 million people, are participating in a society lottery between July and October. These results are only behind the National Lottery, where 32% of adults played.
Digital and telephone markets continue to dominate, and remote sales generate over 793.3m of total GGY. Non-remote channels generate £314.9m. The shift points out the transition from traditional ways to online platforms.
Yet, the Gambling Commission now has to put more emphasis on tracking illegal activities online. Many unlicensed operators are targeting customers with social media and other search engines.
Ian Angus believes that illegal gambling is a major threat to the society lottery sector. He urges licensed operators to share their intelligence to help to put a stop to the illegal market.
The Gambling Commission is using £26m in Treasury funding for 3 years now to stregthen the enforcement laws.
The regulators have recorded progress. In 2025, over 356 illegal lotteries were removed from social media platforms. In 2024, it was only 190. A further 79 were taken down in 2026.
The Commission has issued 741 cease-and-desist notices, removed and blocked 1.134 websites, and eliminated 266.667 illicit URLs from search engines.
Angus reminds the operators that even if the product has a low risk, it still requires strong customer protection. According to the latest GSGB report, 2.7% of adults scored 8 or higher on the Problem Gambling Severity Index.
The Commission has launched a Licence Support service where operators can contact for regulatory guidance and advice. It is a significant step even if society lotteries are considered lower-risk.
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