UK online gambling operators saw activity grow but revenue shrink as sports betting margins retreated to more traditional levels. 

Figures released Wednesday by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) detail its online gambling licensees’ activity during the month of November, part of the regulator’s ongoing commitment to disclosing how the country’s gamblers are coping with the impact of COVID-19. 

November marked the UK’s second pandemic lockdown, although major sports events weren’t disrupted as they were during the spring lockdown. But many residents were once again forced to spend more time at home, opening up the possibility that they’d turn to gambling away the mortgage due to lockdown boredom. 

Fortunately, while online gambling activity experienced an increase in November, “overall, there has not been a significant or sustained increase in gambling activity” since the pandemic began. Three-fifths of UK gamblers say their spending has not changed since March, while 27% reported spending less and just 13% spent more.