With the proliferation of smartphones and tablets, customers can now take sports bets at any time from anywhere. As mobile technology continues to advance and more customers engage in mobile betting, the surge in mobile sports betting is expected to continue, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
GlobalData’s latest report, “Sports Betting – Strategic Intelligence,” reveals that esports betting is also a major trend, which is contributing to the revenue of online sports betting. The increase in the popularity of esports has resulted in a greater demand for esports betting.
In 2024, the worldwide sports betting industry was estimated to be valued at just over $45 billion, according to Statista. Additionally, the UK is among the top three sports betting markets in Europe, with over 49% of gamblers placing their bets online.
With a surge in sports betting, illegal activities related to it are also on the rise, particularly in the US. Over the past two years, dozens of professional and collegiate athletes and coaches have been suspended or fired for gambling violations. In 2024, the National Basketball Association (NBA) banned Jontay Porter for life after discovering Porter had violated the league’s rules by disclosing confidential information to sports bettors.
Olivia Snooks, Sport Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The punishments and bans which are being handed out to players are showing that the legal system is working, with the increased visibility of the betting that is taking place helping spot anomalies. With that being said, however, the incidents involving players is not stopping.”
The UK features as one of the larger gambling markets in the world; the convenience of mobile sports betting has significantly transformed the UK betting industry. Legal sports betting sites in the UK feature a broad range of options, soccer reigns supreme in the UK’s sports betting market. About 45% of active bettors place bets on soccer, with the Champions League and the English Premier League being the most common competitions to bet on. Betting on horse racing is also very popular in the UK and is a major driver in terms of revenue.
Snooks concludes: “The upcoming ban on sports betting brands appearing as front-of-shirt sponsors for English Premier League soccer clubs marks a significant step in the industry’s self-regulation to promote socially responsible sports sponsorship. Despite the likely impact of the ban, some have argued that self-regulation does not go far enough to tackle the relationship between soccer and sports betting, particularly as the prohibition agreed by the Premier League is limited to front-of-shirt only.”
