ne is the largest form of gambling in the UK market, according to the latest set of figures released by the UK Gambling Commission (GC).

The statistics, covering the period between April 2015 and March 2016, reveal that online gambling accounts for 33% of all gambling in Britain, with online operators generating a gross gambling yield (GGY) of £4.5bn in that time-frame.

The gambling industry generated an overall GGY of £13.6bn in those 12 months, with retail betting accounting for £3.3bn and land-based casinos bringing a total of £1bn.

The GC also reported that as of September 2016, there were 8,709 betting shops in the UK, representing a decline of 1.8% on the previous year.

The number of bingo premises in the country has also declined, falling by 4.3% to 575 locations from March 2016 to September 2016.

James Green, GC Programme Director, said: “Our latest statistics show that with the growth in online gambling the industry is increasingly taking a creative approach to using technology to engage consumers.

“As the online sector grows operators will also need to demonstrate that they are taking an equally innovative approach to ensuring gambling is safe for all online consumers.”