2024 Online Gambling Sits: The UK Will Be No. 2 (Almost)!
New hard numbers from Statista and the Japanese Online Casino Guide show the UK sprinting to the second spot in the world’s biggest online betting basket, pulling in roughly £11.01 billion from digital tables and casino chips in 2024. That’s a tidy chunk of money, and it means the island is pretty good at online wagering—close to a third of the population has gone digital to try their luck.
1⃣ United States – The Top Dollar Player
In the absolute lead, the U.S. roars past everyone with about £18.41 billion in betting revenue. That’s a 20.3 % jump from last year, and it’s beating Brazil’s growth hands‑on‑hands. U.S. gamblers are pushing revenue at a pace roughly 1.5‑times faster than the global average.
2⃣ United Kingdom – Pretty Close, but Still Behind
Second in the world, the UK stands at £11.01 billion. About 27.9 % of folks gamble online, but the growth is meager: only a 7.4 % hike in 2024, and a projected 3.84 % uptick between 2024‑2028. Still, 27.9 % is more than the 0.7 % in India or the 0.8 % in Brazil for some smaller markets.
3⃣ Australia – Hunting With High Numbers
Australia follows with an estimated £8.11 billion. Twenty‑one percent of the population has dipped into online bets, and the sector will grow by 10.5 % in 2024 and 5.12 % up to 2028—well above the global average.
4⃣ Japan – Sitting Pretty Stable
Japan lands fourth, raking in around £4.95 billion. Its jump of 12.7 % tallies closely with the worldwide average but still slightly less (only 0.2 % shy). The annual rate from 2024‑2028 sits at about 4.92 %, a touch behind the 6.51 % global mean.
5⃣ Germany – Solid Returns
Germany earns the fifth spot—even though only about 10.4 % of people bet online. The tally is approximately £4.52 billion.
6⃣ Canada – The Most Frequent Players in the League
Canadian gamblers lead the community of online bettors: nearly half, 48.6 % of the population, take part in digital wagering. The revenue is around £3.35 billion.
7⃣ France – Near the Top of the Pond
France is at £3.29 billion and will grow by about 4.7 % from 2024‑2028—a tenth‑low rate, but still solid.
8⃣ Italy – A Slightly Laggard Growth
Italy sits eighth, with a revenue of roughly £2.57 billion and a 10.1 % increase year‑over‑year.
9⃣ India – Big Money, Tiny Players
With about £2.32 billion pulled in, India sits ninth. But only 0.7 % of its citizens gamble online—one of the lowest participation rates on the list.
Spain – The Final Podium Spot
Spain earns the last place, drawing in £1.58 billion. Its revenue grows a healthy 11 % in 2024 and accelerates at a 5.28 % rate through 2028.
Bottom line: The U.S. remains the richest hub for online betting. The UK is, however, a close second—gathering a hefty harvest and a large fan base. While the numbers speak for themselves, Editor‑in‑Chief Emiko Matsuda sums it up best: “This boom in online gambling is due to the pandemic, which had people taking their old sports wagers into digital arenas, and the data shows the shift is permanent.”
