Segmenting the betting market in England

Abstract

While there are a number of studies focusing on the motivations for betting, less is known about the extent to which the market is segmented. This study investigates patterns of cross-purchasing using a sample of 7,200 adult respondents from a government survey dataset obtained via the UK Data Archive. In doing so, we apply market research techniques to a social research domain, and demonstrate the usefulness of publicly available government survey data to (social) market researchers. While we find some patterns of cross-purchase that are broadly the same as would be predicted by the duplication of purchase law, we also identify clear partitions in the market, implying the existence of behavioural segments. We identify five distinct behavioural segments, each with its own demographic characteristics. Our results have implications for the managers of betting companies, and for the design of future studies into gambling behaviour that could potentially inform public policy.