Exploring UK Online Trends in 2025: What’s Hot in Entertainment

The March of Technology

Just 100 years ago in 1925, radio was the up and coming medium, creating new industries in advertising and entertainment. Meanwhile, TV was still in the experimental stage, with John Logie Baird transmitting the first television pictures in London, and Russian/American scientist Vladimir K. Zworykin demonstrating a cathode-ray tube television system. Now, in 2025, the technological changes waiting in the wings include Ultra-High-Definition (Ultra-HD) streaming that provides immersive and interactive experiences, the increasing adoption of cashless alternative payment systems such as e-wallets and cryptocurrencies, improved virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) systems, social media generated content, and personalized entertainment driven by improved artificial intelligence (AI). In this piece, I want to look particularly at the impacts of Ultra-HD streaming, the development of VR and AR for online gaming (iGaming), how AI will affect entertainment, and the UK government’s investment in our broadband network – which will benefit even regions far from London like Devon.

Ultra HD streaming

Ultra HD or UHD is the consumer facing term for the “4K” cinema quality. It’s not quite the same as 4K only has a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels, compared to 4K’s 4096 x 2160 pixels, but these terms are now often used interchangeably as the difference between the two is difficult to see with the naked eye.

The benefits for viewers able to access this greater resolution across their broadband connection include sharper images with more detailed images, more realistic motion, with 60 frames per second on Ultra HD Blu-ray, improved contrast with enhanced vibrancy, and greater depth which makes images look more realistic. If the user has a computer system with sufficient processing power, UHD gaming also provides a more immersive and realistic gaming experience as the higher resolution allows for greater detail in game graphics, making the environments and characters look more lifelike.

VR, AR, and iGaming

VR, where you wear an electronic headset that beams the images directly into your eyes, and AR which relies on specially adapted glasses or your phone screen to overlay additional information or pictures onto your everyday world, have been poised to revolutionize our world for several decades.

Unfortunately, that wait always appears to be “a number of years away”, however long we are required to wait. The problems facing wearable tech like VR and AR have included its size, weight, and style. AR goggles have proved tiring to wear for long periods and AR glasses making the wearer look like the title character from Joe 90 (yes, I am that old).

However, while there has been a significant decline in new investment in both VR and AR, with the total of US$5.8 billion invested in 2022 less than half the amount invested in 2021, major media and electronic companies such as Meta and Apple are still making significant investments as they see these as game-changing technologies. Meta, alone, has promised to make 2025 a “defining year” for its smart glasses, with its total investment set to reach USD100 billion this year.

Additionally, I do believe that 2025 will see a significant improvement in the available tech, with the equipment getting lighter and more compact, systems becoming more “user friendly”, and the development of online apps that make these systems a “must have” for the entertainment enthusiast.

And here, I believe that iGaming – which includes casino games, sports betting, and virtual poker under the umbrella of online gambling, will be a major driver of the application of VR and AR. Online gambling is a major industry in the UK, with Statista reporting that the number of new players registering online has grown steadily, reaching over 35 million between April 2022 and March 2023, while the gross gambling yield (GGY) for remote casinos reached over GBP4 billion in 2023 alone. It is also highly competitive, with providers seeking to maximize their attractiveness to new and returning players. For instance, this Dream Vegas review from Casino.org notes the site offers over 2,300 slots and over 200 table games.

Customers who take part in live player are already able to connect with real people in real time and experience a “real casino” experience from home. Imagine the impact it would have if players with VR or AR could also see the other players and the gaming tables in real time as if actually there – making the games feel even more realistic and creating a community-like experience.

The application of AI

Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems are having foundational impacts across the online entertainment environment. For example, AI is making it easier for ordinary users to create professional social media type content for sites such as YouTube and TikTok, while AI is curating film and music lists for users based on their preferences.

AI is also widely applied across the iGaming industry,

• AI can adapt gameplay and recommendations according to its analysis of each customer’s behaviour on the site, thereby improving each user’s experience.
• AI can manage loyalty programs and aid in the development of new games.
• AI can help online casinos promote responsible gambling and identify suspicious/abusive transactions – making the gaming environment safer for all concerned while enhancing overall security.

Investment in UK Broadband

While it might seem odd to include broadband investment, this is a key piece in the overall development of the trends we’ve already identified. Whether we are looking for Ultra HD streaming, cross-internet VR and AR, an increasingly sophisticated iGaming experience, or the beneficial application of AI systems, the UK needs a widely available broadband network capable of handling the bandwidth necessary to support these advances, and the good news is that these targets are on track to being met.  A UK parliament research briefing claimed, for instance, that if operators’ achieve their stated network deployment plans, 97% of UK premises could have gigabit-capable broadband by May 2027, including 99% of urban areas and 88% of rural areas. 

Conclusion

While not one to rely on a crystal ball (those who do so often end up eating glass), I think it’s clear there are many reasons to be excited about improvements in online entertainment across the UK. Technology – whether 4K displays, VR and AR, online gambling, and the application of AI, is improving at ever fast rates. Additionally, government investment in the broadband backbone necessary to pipe these technologies into UK homes is on track to ensure most of us can enjoy these benefits if we choose. Now is the time to get “wired up”, and explore this rapidly changing world or online entertainment, alone and with our families and friends.