Support for Free Bets: Punters Overwhelmingly Back Advertising of Free Bets and Promotions
Yet another recent survey conducted for the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has found that a significant majority of punters support both the availability and the advertising of free bet offers and promotions by betting sites and online casinos.
The survey, which was conducted by YouGov, found that 82% of customers wanted free bets, with 80% of respondents expressing their support for promotions.
The results of the survey demonstrate that free bets and promotions are highly valued by gamblers, with many seeing them as valuable tools for managing their betting activities, and not as a pathway to problem gambling as many critics of iGaming have suggested.
The survey comes just as the local economy has been injected with a much-needed stimulus boost by the Cheltenham horse racing festival. It is estimated that £247m will be generated by the event.
Ironically, it is impossible to go on social media during the week of Cheltenham without being bombarded by betting offers and promotions for signing up as a new customer.
On top of this annual stimulus, it must also be highlighted that the regulated gambling sector employs almost 110,00 people in the UK and has generated just over £14 billion in 2022 for the British economy.
Self Aware
According to the BGC, free bets and promotions can help punters to stay within their limits and gamble responsibly, as well as encourage them to try new games and betting options without having to commit a huge portion of their gambling budget.
The survey also found that punters were highly aware of the importance of responsible gambling measures, with 83% of respondents saying that they were aware of the resources available to them for managing their betting activities.
The BGC has been at the forefront of efforts to promote responsible gambling, and its members have implemented a wide range of measures to ensure that punters are protected.
Overkill
The BGC survey comes at a time when the gambling industry is facing increased scrutiny and regulation, with governments and regulatory bodies, like the UK Gambling Commission, taking action to protect consumers and prevent problem gambling. However, as reported before, new proposed gambling reforms are thought to have a negative influence on gambling behaviour and drive people to use unregulated casinos.
Many in the UK gambling sphere believe that the proposed new legislation is rather overkill, stating that excessive gambling rates are low in the UK compared to international standards. Figures from UKGC show a .10% drop in problem gamblers as a percentage of the UK adult population.
‘Draconian measures’
Commenting on the survey results, 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 jeopardises jobs. What’s more, as this survey makes clear, if promotions are restricted or banned, there’s only one place punters will go, and 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”.
Overall, the BGC survey provides valuable insights into the attitudes of gamblers towards free bets and promotions, as well as their awareness of responsible gambling measures.
Emily is our Casino Researcher and statistical mastermind. She uncovers all the latest trends through the numbers and creates valuable insights to our readers and internally, so we can cover our articles and journalism from a statistical background and angle.
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