New study names Blackpool as one of UK’s top 10 gambling capitals based on betting-related online searches

New research has revealed which cities in the UK are the most interested in gambling based on gambling-related searches online. The study. conducted by online casino site Playcasino.com, analysed Google Keyword Planner data on nationwide search volumes for words associated with gambling over the past 12 months per 100k searches.

Terms such as ‘gambling’, ‘gambling tips’, and ‘online gambling’ were combined with each location in the UK and weighted against the population to determine which city/town is most interested in gambling. The most popular terms were ‘lottery’ (with an average monthly search volume of 2,213,333), ‘tombola’ (with 1,003,583 monthly searches), and ‘casino’ (with a total of 154,250 monthly searches).

Hartlepool came out on top, with an average monthly gambling-related search volume of 8,647 per 100,000 searches, followed by Huyton with 8,423 searches per 100,000, and Grimsby coming in third with 8,345 monthly searches per 100k. Blackpool ranks ninth with 7,079 searches per 100,000.

The news of Blackpool’s place in the top 10 gambling capitals in the UK comes after over a decade of debate regarding a potential ‘super casino’ in the area. The concept was originally floated in the late 2000s, although the Department of Digital, Media, and Culture decided not to allow such a facility to be built in Blackpool over fears that it would lead to a proliferation of gambling problems.

The backing for a super casino in Blackpool, however, has not gone away, with former MP Scott Benton in 2019 asking then-culture secretary John Whittingdale if he would commit to reviewing a case for a ‘super casino’ in the resort and then-Northern Powerhouse minister Jake Berry suggesting that a Las Vegas-style destination casino could be built.

“People gamble for many different reasons, such as to alleviate stress, take their mind off other things, or feel a sense of euphoria, especially when achieving a big win,” said a spokesperson from Playcasino.com. “The locations most interested are those living by the seaside or in coastal areas, likely due to the number of amusements and casinos available in coastal cities that are attractive to locals and tourists.  

“It is interesting to see how much curiosity each place has in the subject and whether the searches are used to strategize their current techniques or if they are new to the gambling world and want to know where to get started.”