Most Popular Games in the UK Today

The UK online gaming market is worth an overwhelming £4.5 billion.

15:16 14 March 2019

Fueled by the advancement of technology, game consumption in Britain is growing at rates of up to 16% for some games. Software developers have also seen their revenues skyrocket in recent years, hitting £3.9 billion in 2018.

VR and AR penetration into online casinos and traditional video games have played a major role in the industry's growth. Still, VR and AR games aren't close to upsurging the topmost games in the UK.

Football

Ask anyone in the world which is the most popular sport in Britain and the answer is always football. Not the American version of football but the sport some people call soccer. From schools to pubs, public buses to online UK casinos, themes representing the beautiful game are celebrated everywhere.

With so much love for football, it's no surprise that FIFA is the most beloved game by UK gamers. FIFA 19 has sold nearly 2 million copies in the UK already while Red Dead Redemption II came in second with 1.8 million copies.

Apart from FIFA, a lot of football game developers have had a lot of success in the UK. Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer, for instance, sold more than a million copies for its PES 2019 game. Football-themed slots are also highly popular in the region.

Horse Racing

Most UK sports are overshadowed by the popularity of football. Horse racing, for instance, is the second most popular sport both online and offline. It’s closely followed by rugby and athletics.

In total, the sport contributes about £3.7 billion to the UK economy. Popular horse racing events like the Cheltenham Festival and the Royal Ascot are major dates in Britain’s sporting calendars.

Horse racing began in the 1700s in the UK and has remained a top sport ever since. Some of the world's jockey, including Fred Archer and Sir Gordon Richards were British citizens. The UK sporting community is to thank for the sport's popularity.

Although fewer people attend horse racing events compared to football, UK sports fans turn out in large numbers to support their favorite jockeys. Online and through TV, millions of people pay attention to the event, helping increase its popularity for generations.

Online Casino Games

Online gambling is growing at speeds most traditional sports would only dream of. Revenues from mobile gaming are well over $100 billion globally. Convenience and ease of access mean people can play their favorite Blackjack or slot games on the go.

In the UK, online gambling is a billion dollar industry and it has mobile gaming to thank. Most of the best UK online slots available on sites like readyslotsgo can be played on any smart device. Your smartphone, iPad, PC, and some smart TVs all support casino games.

Millions of UK players flock their favorite gambling sites every month. The biggest demographics of UK gamblers are people aged between 24 and 44 years, representing 43% of the industry. 45-64-year-olds come in second at 36% while players aged below 24 years make up 15.7% of the market.

eSports

The fast-rising sport hoping to become an Olympic level competition by 2024 is quickly taking shape in the UK. From what was a small league with several thousand fans in London, Britain’s eSport popularity is quickly spreading throughout the region.

Fuelled by rising prize pools and general popularity of the game, UK eSports gamers stand to earn up to $1million per major competition. British players admittedly have been lagging behind their European counterparts when it comes to competing but they are properly represented.

At least 10,000 fans show for eSports-related events throughout Britain. Most events offer their winners less than $100,000 locally but the superstars can compete worldwide for bigger prize pools. While it may not yet be at the level of any traditional sport, eSports looks like a future great game in Britain.

Sports Betting

The UK’s gambling culture is not limited to slots and table games alone. Sports betting is one of the most forms of online gaming in the region. So big is the industry that half of top English Premier League teams have sponsorships with betting companies.

Throughout the world, some of the most popular bookmaker sites also originated from the UK. Of course, none of these companies would be as popular as they are today without the contribution of UK punters.

There are many theories of why sports betting is such a big industry in the UK. The most compelling among them is the UK’s love for sports and the presence of a transparently run sports betting industry.

An average bookmaker site in the UK will have hundreds of wagers in all popular sports. Opening a betting account is free and everyone who wins is guaranteed of receiving their money. Progressive jackpots and the aggressive marketing tactics used by bookies are also credited for sparking a betting culture.

Console Games

The UK is one of the few developed countries where console games are more popular than PC games. Starting with FIFA and Red Dead Redemption 2, UK gaming fans love their consoles. Unsurprisingly, Britain often comes in the top five every year for most console games purchased every year.

As you would expect, sports-related games consistently rank higher in popularity than any other kinds of games. However, world-dominating games also seem to sell incredibly in the UK as well. Black Ops 4 and RDR2, for instance, were insanely popular in the UK last year despite having foreign settings.

To Conclude

Some of the world's most popular sports, including football, trace their origin to Britain. So, it's not surprising that sports is one of the biggest cultures in the UK. Besides football, horse racing is highly popular. Rugby and tennis although underrated are also very popular games in Britain.

More recently, online games have been penetrating the UK sporting culture, turning betting and gambling into billion dollar industries. eSports is also gaining track in England, Scotland and Wales thanks to high revenues for players and world growth.