Young People and Gambling 2025: Official statistics

Executive summary

Introduction

This report contains the findings from the Gambling Commission’s annual study, produced by Ipsos, exploring gambling behaviours among young people in Great Britain.

The survey examined young people’s involvement in gambling activities, including age-restricted products, where they gamble and with whom, their perceptions of gambling and awareness of gambling advertising. The survey also asked a series of questions relating to potential consequences associated with gambling and utilised the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition - Multiple Response Juvenile (DSM-IV-MR-J) to classify young people with gambling problems.

The research was conducted in schools, with pupils completing online self-completion surveys in class. The study collected data from a sample of 3,666 pupils in Years 7 to 12 (or Years S1 to S5 in Scotland) attending academies, maintained and independent schools in England, Scotland, and Wales. Fieldwork took place between 13 January 2025 to 13 June 2025. The survey asked about involvement with gambling in the past 7 days, 4 weeks and 12 months, with this report focusing on the past 12 months. Further details of the methodology, sampling and weighting processes, and sample profile are included in the Appendices of this report.

Headline statistics

Three in five (59 percent) young people have some experience of gambling, with half (49 percent) gambling in the last 12 months. Arcade gaming machines (for example penny pushers, claw grab machines) are the most prevalent form of gambling, played by 35 percent of young people in the last 12 months.

Focusing on young people gambling with their own money, 3 in 10 (30 percent) reported doing so in the last 12 months, with boys (34 percent) more likely than girls (27 percent). This represents an increase from 27 percent in 2024, which appears largely driven by a rise in unregulated gambling (18 percent in 2025, compared with 15 percent in 2024). The primary motivation for gambling among young people is that they find it 'fun', cited by 78 percent of those who have used their own money to gamble in the last 12 months.

Analysis of trends in youth gambling between 2022 and 2025 indicates a consistency in behaviour and participation rates. The proportion of young people who have ever experienced gambling has remained constant, with 3 in 5 reporting having gambled at least once (60 percent in 2022 and 59 percent in 2025). Problem gambling, as measured by the youth-adapted problem gambling screen (DSM-IV-MR-J), has also remained consistent since 2022, with 1.2 percent scoring 4 or more (indicating problem gambling), 2.2 percent scoring 2 or 3, and 27.0 percent scoring 0 or 1.

Most young people (75 percent) gamble with a parent, carer, or guardian. A small minority (8 percent) gamble alone, a figure which has dipped slightly since 2024 (10 percent). Only 13 percent of those who have ever gambled were stopped because they were underage.

This shift towards digital consumption of information is reflected in the finding that young people are more likely to be exposed to gambling-related advertisements weekly online, rather than offline. Specifically, via social media (49 percent) or apps (47 percent). Boys were more likely than girls to see advertisements related to gambling across various platforms, including video sharing sites, such as YouTube (53 percent of boys, compared with 31 percent of girls) and at sports events (57 percent of boys, compared with 37 percent of girls). The 2025 survey also explored the influence of social media personalities, finding that 31 percent of young people who saw gambling-related content (16 percent of all respondents) reported that influencers had advertised gambling-related content to them.

For the first time, the survey explored attitudes towards risk-taking among young people. Forty percent of those spending their own money on gambling see themselves as risk-takers, significantly higher than the overall average. Alongside gambling, young people also engaged in other risk-taking behaviours in the last 12 months, including alcohol consumption (34 percent), vaping (13 percent), smoking tobacco cigarettes (5 percent), and taking illegal drugs (5 percent).

Presentation and interpretation of data

When interpreting the findings, it is important to remember that results are based on a sample of the maintained and independent school population, and not the entire population of 11 to 17 year olds in England, Scotland, and Wales. The survey data reported here has been weighted to ensure the findings are nationally representative of young people at secondary schools in England, Scotland and Wales (see appendices for more detail on weighting). Applying weights to the data, while tending to make the quoted figures more representative of the population of interest, also reduces the statistical reliability of the data. Results from any survey are estimates, and there is a margin of error associated with each figure quoted. Essentially, the smaller the sample size, the greater the uncertainty.

Throughout this report, unless specified, findings with sufficient sample sizes have been included and all differences noted between subgroups are significant at the 95 percent significance level. A guide to statistical significance is included in the Appendices of the report.

Please note that when different response categories are combined (for example 'strongly agree' and 'agree') then the combined figure may sometimes differ slightly from the total that would be obtained by summing the 2 separate percentage figures. This is due to the rounding of figures to the nearest whole number.

Key terms used in the report

We have 2 possible ways of interpreting gambling behaviour which are referenced throughout this report:

1. Active involvement in gambling – Young people who spent their own money (defined as any pocket money, birthday money or money they earned themselves) on gambling.

2. Experience of gambling – Young people who have gambled but not necessarily spending their own money on doing so. For example, they may have been involved in picking lottery numbers with family and/or friends or choosing horses in a horse race.

Regulated and unregulated forms of gambling – The Gambling Commission regulates gambling operators and key individuals in Great Britain. Regulation is designed to ensure children and young people, under the minimum legal age for gambling of 18, are unable to gamble on age restricted products licensed by the Commission. However, there are some types of gambling which are unregulated and fall outside of the remit of the Commission such as non-commercial gambling between friends and family or playing bingo somewhere other than a bingo club.

In addition to products licensed by the Commission, this report also covers these types of gambling activities which sit outside the Commission’s remit and are legally available to children and young people. To distinguish between these different types of gambling we refer in this report to ‘regulated’ and ‘unregulated’ forms of gambling:

Regulated forms of gambling – Those gambling activities which are licensed and regulated by the Commission including betting or casino gaming provided by a licensed operator online or from premises, playing the National Lottery or other lottery products. This categorisation also includes playing gaming machines in betting shops, bingo premises, casinos or arcades. Due to different categories and requirements relating to gaming machines this report will include some gaming machine play which is not directly regulated by the Commission and will include incidences of playing machines which can be legally played by children and young people.

Unregulated forms of gambling – Those gambling activities which fall outside the remit of the Commission such as non-commercial gambling between friends and family or playing bingo somewhere other than a bingo club.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition - Multiple Response Juvenile (DSM-IV-MR-J) screen was applied to assess whether respondents who gamble are defined as experiencing problems with their gambling. Scores are then grouped into the following categories:

• young people who have never gambled
• young people scoring 0 or 1 on the DSM-IV-MR-J, representing a young person who does not experience any ‘problems’ with their gambling
• young people scoring 2 or 3 on the DSM-IV-MR-J, representing a young person who is ‘at risk’
• young people scoring 4 or more on the DSM-IV-MR-J, representing a young person experiencing ‘problems’ with their gambling.

Gaming – Although the Commission does not regulate gaming, there has been a convergence of gaming and gambling over time, with games now including features which are akin to gambling. These include outcomes or rewards in online gaming, such as loot boxes and monetised in-game items, including skins. This survey explores young people’s awareness and engagement with gaming activities to provide insight into the link between gaming and gambling.

For further information on terms used throughout this report and their definitions see the Appendices.

Acknowledgements

We are indebted to all pupils and staff who made this survey possible during a time when schools are managing heavy workloads. Without their support, this survey would not have been possible.

Wider experience of gambling

Summary

This section explores young people’s wider experience of gambling, covering the types of gambling activities they have engaged in, regardless of whether they were spending their own money, who they were with when they were gambling, as well as how gambling activities compare in relation to other high-risk activities that young people engage in.

Where possible, findings are compared with the 2024 survey to identify changes over time.

In total, 3 in 5 (59 percent) 11 to 17 year olds had some experience of gambling, with half (49 percent) having experienced some form of gambling activity in the last 12 months.

Play on games and gaming machines was the most prevalent gambling activity. Among them, arcade gaming machines, such as penny pushers or claw grab machines, were the most frequently played, with 35 percent of young people having participated in such activities within the last year.

When engaging in gambling activities, most young people (75 percent) are with a parent, carer or guardian. Less than 1 in 10 (8 percent) are alone.

Of those who had ever experienced gambling, 13 percent reported having been stopped because they were too young.

The survey captures young people’s self-reported involvement in a range of activities that they like to do in their spare time; the most popular activities were meeting up with friends (40 percent), taking part in sports (40 percent), playing games on a device (39 percent) and listening to music (39 percent).

The survey also measured young people’s self-reported involvement in a range of other risk-taking behaviours; 34 percent of young people had drunk alcohol in the past 12 months, 13 percent had used an e-cigarette or vape, 5 percent smoked a tobacco cigarette, and 5 percent had taken illegal drugs (including cannabis).

Wider experience and active involvement in gambling

Three in five (59 percent) 11 to 17 year olds have some experience of gambling, with half (49 percent) taking part in at least one gambling activity in the last 12 months. This experience of gambling does not necessarily involve spending their own money. The overall proportion of young people who were actively involved with gambling (such as spent their own money on it) within the last 12 months was 30 percent, decreasing to 16 percent within the last 4 weeks, and to 6 percent within the last 7 days.

Figure 1.1: Wider experience and active involvement in gambling

Figure 1.1 information

Base: All 11 to 17 year olds answering 2025 (3,666).
Note: the chart and table show results for different questions asked in the survey, so the responses shown will not add up to 100 percent.

Wider experience and active involvement in gambling

Wider experience and active involvement in gambling	2025 (percentage) (results for different questions asked in survey therefore answers will not add up to 100 percent)
Ever experienced gambling	59%
Experienced gambling in the last 12 months	49%
Spent money on gambling in last 12 months	30%
Spent money on gambling in last 4 weeks	16%
Spent money on gambling in last 7 days	6%

Experience of gambling within the last 12 months was more prevalent among young people from white ethnic groups than those young people from ethnic minority backgrounds (55 percent, compared with 35 percent). Those who had seen their family members gamble were also more likely to have gambled in the last 12 months, compared with those who had not (66 percent, compared with 42 percent). Young people who considered themselves to be risk-takers were also more likely to have gambled in the last 12 months, compared with those who did not consider themselves to be a risk-taker (56 percent, compared with 43 percent).

Compared with 2024, the proportion of young people who have some experience of gambling has increased from 52 percent to 59 percent in 2025. There has also been an increase in those who have experienced gambling in the last 12 months; from 44 percent in 2024 to 49 percent in 2025.

The levels of active involvement in gambling within the last 12 months has also increased from 27 to 30 percent. However, active involvement within the past 7 days has remained consistent.

Table 1.1: Wider experience and active involvement in gambling 2024 to 2025

Base: All answering 2024 (3,869), 2025 (3,666).
Note: The table shows results for different questions asked in the survey, so the responses shown will not add up to 100 percent.

Table 1.1: Wider experience and active involvement in gambling 2024 to 2025

Wider experience and active involvement in gambling in 2024 and 2025	2024 (percentage) (answers do not sum to 100 percent as chart shows more than one question)	2025 (percentage) (answers do not sum to 100 percent as chart shows more than one question)	Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2024
Ever experienced gambling	52%	59%	Significant increase
Experienced gambling in last 12 months	44%	49%	Significant increase
Spent money on gambling in last 12 months	27%	30%	Significant increase
Spent money on gambling in last 4 weeks	14%	16%	Significant increase
Spent money on gambling last 7 days	6%	6%	No significant difference

Experience of different categories of gambling activities

Young people were shown a list of gambling activities and asked if they had taken part in any during the last 12 months. The activities have been grouped into categories for analysis purposes (see definitions at the beginning of the chapter).

The category that young people were most likely to have experience of was playing games and gaming machines, with 2 in 5 (39 percent) having done so within the past 12 months. This was followed by placing a bet (22 percent), playing bingo (13 percent), playing lotteries or lottery style games (9 percent), and playing casino games (3 percent).

Looking at these broad categories of gambling activities, there were 2 notable variations by gender:

• boys were more likely than girls to have played a casino game (4 percent, compared with 1 percent)
• girls were more likely than boys to have played bingo (17 percent, compared with 10 percent).

In terms of differences by age, 14 to 17 year olds were more likely than 11 to 13 year olds to have placed a bet (24 percent, compared with 18 percent) or played a casino game (4 percent, compared with 2 percent).

Young people from white ethnic groups were more likely than those young people from ethnic minority backgrounds to have experience of all categories, except for casino games (where there is no statistically significant difference). Similarly, young people who have seen a family member gamble and those who consider themselves to be risk-takers were more likely to have experience of all categories of gambling activities.

Figure 1.2: Experience of gambling activities, by category, within the past 12 months

Figure 1.2 information

GC_GAMSPENDWHEN. When did you last do this activity? Was it…? Summary of gambling in last 7 days, 4 weeks or 12 months.
Base: All 11 to 17 year olds answering 2025 (3,666).
Note: This is a multiple response question, therefore answers do not sum to 100 percent.

Experience of gambling activities, by category, in the last 12 months

Experience of gambling activities, by category, in the last 12 months	2025 (percentage) (this is a multiple response question; therefore, answers do not sum to 100 percent)
Games and gaming machines	39%
Placing a bet	22%
Bingo	13%
Lotteries or lottery style games	9%
Casino games	3%

In the last 12 months, the proportion of young people who have engaged in gambling through games or gaming machines increased from 34 percent in 2024 to 39 percent in 2025. This rise largely accounts for the observed increase in overall gambling levels over this period. See Table 1.2 for more information.

Table 1.2: Experience of gambling activities by category 2024 to 2025

GC_GAMSPENDWHEN. When did you last do this activity? Was it...? Summary of gambling in last 7 days, 4 weeks or 12 months.
Base: All answering 2024 (3,869), 2025 (3,666).
Note: This is a multiple response question, therefore answers do not sum to 100 percent.
In 2025 the wording used to describe casino games was updated to clarify the difference between casino play in ‘real life’ as opposed to online on a casino website.

Table 1.2: Experience of gambling activities by category 2024 to 2025

Experience of gambling activities, by category, in the last 12 months in 2024 and 2025	2024 (percentage) (multiple response question, therefore, answers do not sum to 100 percent)	2025 (percentage) (multiple response question, therefore, answers do not sum to 100 percent)	Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2024
Games and gaming machines	34%	39%	Significant increase
Placing a bet	20%	22%	Significant increase
Bingo	12%	13%	No significant difference
Lotteries or lottery style games	9%	9%	No significant difference
Casino games	3%	3%	No significant difference

Experience of different types of gambling activities

Each category of gambling had individual activities listed within it (see definitions at the beginning of the chapter). The most popular individual activity was arcade gaming machines (for example penny pushers or claw grab machines), with 35 percent of young people having played them within the last 12 months. The next most frequently cited activities were placing a bet for money between friends or family (19 percent), playing bingo somewhere other than a bingo club (10 percent), playing cards for money (9 percent), playing fruit or slot machines (7 percent), and National Lottery scratchcards (7 percent).

The following groups were more likely to have played arcade gaming machines:

• those who had previously seen family members gamble (45 percent) and those who consider themselves to be risk-takers (39 percent)
• those from white ethnic groups (39 percent, compared with 26 percent of young people from ethnic minority groups)
• younger pupils (37 percent of 11 to 13 year olds, compared with 35 percent overall).

Figure 1.3: Experience in gambling activities in the last 12 months, top 10 individual activities

Figure 1.3 information

GC_GAMSPEND. Have you ever done any of the following activities?
Base: All 11 to 17 year olds answering 2025 (3,666).
Note: this is a multiple response question, therefore answers do not sum to 100 percent.

Experience in gambling activities in the last 12 months, top 10 individual activities

Experience in gambling activities in the last 12 months, top 10 individual activities	2025 (percentage) (this is a multiple response question; therefore, answers do not sum to 100 percent)
Played arcade gaming machines	35%
Placed a bet for money between friends or family	19%
Played bingo at somewhere other than a bingo club	10%
Played cards for money	9%
Played fruit or slot machines	7%
National Lottery scratchcards	7%
Placed a bet on a betting website and/or app (for example on football or horse racing)	3%
National Lottery draw (for example Lotto, EuroMillions or Set for Life, either with a physical ticket or playing online)	3%
Placing a bet at a betting shop or bookies (for example on football or horse racing)	3%
Played casino games online (for example online poker or online roulette for money)	3%

Looking at participation in gambling activities over time, there are 2 notable changes, namely the proportion of young people who had played arcade gaming machines and who had placed a bet for money between friends or family (the 2 most frequent gambling activities). Participation in both increased from 2024 to 2025. All other activities do not show a significant change, as illustrated in Table 1.3.

Table 1.3: Experience of gambling activities 2024 to 2025

GC_GAMSPEND. Have you ever done any of the following activities?
Base: All answering 2024 (3,869), 2025 (3,666).
Note: This is a multiple response question, therefore answers do not sum to 100 percent.

Table 1.3: Experience of gambling activities 2024 to 2025

Experience in gambling activities in the last 12 months, top 10 individual activities in 2024 and 2025	2024 (percentage) (multiple response question, therefore, answers do not sum to 100 percent)	2025 (percentage) (multiple response question, therefore, answers do not sum to 100 percent)	Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2024
Played arcade gaming machines	31%	35%	Significant increase
Placed a bet for money between friends or family	17%	19%	Significant increase
Played bingo at somewhere other than a bingo club	9%	10%	No significant difference
Played cards for money	8%	9%	No significant difference
Played fruit or slot machines	7%	7%	No significant difference
National Lottery scratchcards	7%	7%	No significant difference
Placed a bet on a betting website and/or app	3%	3%	No significant difference
National Lottery draw (for example Lotto, EuroMillions or Set for Life, either with a physical ticket or playing online)	3%	3%	No significant difference
Placed a bet at a betting shop or bookies (for example on football or horse racing)	3%	3%	No significant difference
Played casino games online (for example online poker or online roulette for money)	3%	3%	No significant difference

Who young people were with when they gambled

Young people were asked who they were with the last time they gambled. Typically, they were with a parent, carer or guardian (75 percent). Two in five young people were with a friend who was aged 17 or younger (40 percent) or with a sibling (41 percent), including 26 percent who were with a brother or sister aged 17 or younger. Less than 1 in 10 (8 percent) were alone.

Figure 1.4: Who young people were with when they experienced gambling activities

Figure 1.4 information

GAMSPEND2. Last time you did [this activity or these activities] who were you with?
Base: All 11 to 17 year olds who selected any activity 1 to 17 at GAMSPEND 2025 (2,542).
Note: this is a multiple response question, therefore answers do not sum to 100 percent.

Who young people were with when they experienced gambling activities

Who young people were with when they experienced gambling activities	2025 (percentage) (this is a multiple response question; therefore, answers do not sum to 100 percent)
Parent(s), carer(s) or guardian(s)	75%
Friend(s) aged 17 or younger	40%
Brother(s) or sister(s) aged 17 or younger	26%
Brother(s) or sister(s) aged 18 or older	15%
I was alone	8%
Friend(s) aged 18 or older	6%
Others	9%
Do not know	6%

The pattern of who young people were with when they last gambled is broadly similar to that reported in 2024. However, the data shows a rise in the number of young people gambling with friends aged 17 or younger, from 37 percent in 2024 to 40 percent in 2025, and a slight reduction in those gambling alone, decreasing from 10 percent to 8 percent. This aligns with increased participation in activities like playing arcade gaming machines and placing bets, often done in social settings with peers.

Table 1.4: Who young people were with when they experienced gambling activities 2024 to 2025

GAMSPEND2. Last time you did [this activity or these activities] who were you with?
Base: All answering who selected any activity 1 to 17 at GAMSPEND 2024 (2,331), 2025 (2,542).
Note: This is a multiple response question, therefore answers do not sum to 100 percent.

Table 1.4: Who young people were with when they experienced gambling activities 2024 to 2025

Who young people were with when they experienced gambling activities in 2024 and 2025	2024 (percentage)	2025 (percentage)	Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2024
Parent(s), carer(s) or guardian(s)	73%	75%	No significant difference
Friend(s) aged 17 or younger	37%	40%	Significant increase
Brother(s) or sister(s) aged 17 or younger	26%	26%	No significant difference
Brother(s) or sister(s) aged 18 or older	14%	15%	No significant difference
I was alone	10%	8%	Significant decrease
Friend(s) aged 18 or older	7%	6%	No significant difference
Others	9%	9%	No significant difference
Do not know	6%	6%	No significant difference

Being stopped from gambling for being too young

All young people, regardless of gambling experience, were asked whether they had ever been stopped from gambling because they were too young. Excluding those young people who noted they had never tried to gamble, 13 percent overall reported having been stopped from gambling because they were too young.

Among those who have been stopped from gambling because they were too young, the proportions are similar for gambling online (7 percent) and in a premises for example a shop, betting shop, arcade (8 percent).

The findings are consistent across sub-groups except for age, with 16 year olds more likely to say they have never been stopped from gambling due to being too young, compared with young people overall (63 percent, compared with 48 percent).

Figure 1.5: Being stopped from gambling for money due to being too young within the past 12 months

Figure 1.5 information

GC_STOPPED. Thinking about gambling for money, have you ever been stopped from gambling because you were too young?
Base: All 11 to 17 year olds answering 2025 (1,098).

Being stopped from gambling for money due to being too young

Being stopped from gambling due to being too young	2025 (percentage)
Yes	13%
No, I have never been stopped	48%
Do not know	39%

The proportion of young people who have been stopped from gambling for money for being too young has not changed since 2024 (15 percent in 2024, compared with 13 percent in 2025).

As shown, in Table 1.5 there is an increase in the proportion of young people who say they have never been stopped, but this reflects the drop in numbers who are unsure either way.

Table 1.5: Being stopped from gambling for money due to being too young 2024 to 2025

GC_STOPPED. Thinking about gambling for money, have you ever been stopped from gambling because you were too young?
Base: All answering who did not say they had never tried to gamble 2024 (1,045), 2025 (1,098).

Table 1.5: Being stopped from gambling for money due to being too young 2024 to 2025

Being stopped from gambling due to being too young, 2024 and 2025	2024 (percentage)	2025 (percentage)	Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2024
Yes	15%	13%	No significant difference
No, I have never been stopped	42%	48%	Significant increase
Do not know	42%	39%	No significant difference

Gambling in the context of what young people do in their spare time

The survey also explores young people’s self-reported involvement in various leisure activities, allowing for a comparison between trends in gambling activities and recreational pursuits. This question was updated in 2025, as such the findings are not comparable with previous years.

As shown in Table 1.6 the most popular activities were meeting up with friends (40 percent), taking part in sports (40 percent), playing games on a device (39 percent) and listening to music (39 percent).

Table 1.6: Things that young people like to do most in their spare time in the past 12 months 2025

GC_SPARE. In your spare time, what are the things that you like to do most?
Base: All answering 2025 (3,603).

Table 1.6: Things that young people like to do most in their spare time in the past 12 months 2025

Things that young people like to do most in their spare time in the past 12 months in 2025	2025 (percentage)
Meeting up with friends	40%
Taking part in sports (for example football, netball, swimming, gymnastics) and/or exercising (for example gym, workout classes, walking, hiking)	40%
Playing games on my phone, iPad, laptop or on a console (for example, Play Station, Nintendo Switch)	39%
Listening to music	39%
Spending time with my family	32%
Chatting on the phone with my friends and/or spending time online with friends on social media	28%
Watching programmes on TV or through streaming services	21%
Shopping	16%
Cooking	10%
Reading (books or magazines)	10%
Going to the cinema, theatre or concerts	5%

There are notable differences by gender:

• girls are more likely to listen to music (46 percent) and meet up with friends (43 percent)
• boys are more likely to play games on a device (59 percent) and play sports (53 percent).

Gambling in the context of other risk taking behaviours

The survey also measures young people’s self-reported involvement in other risk-taking behaviours, such as smoking, drinking, and drug taking, to set gambling participation in context.

Around a third (34 percent) of young people have drunk alcohol in the past 12 months. This is followed by 13 percent who vaped, 5 percent who smoked, and 5 percent who took illegal drugs (including cannabis). The proportion of young people participating in each of these activities, apart from active involvement in gambling, has decreased over time, as shown in Table 1.7.

Broadly speaking young people who report participation in each of these risk-taking behaviours are from the older age groups, consider themselves a risk-taker, and are from white ethnic backgrounds, which aligns with the findings for gambling participation. Looking at this in more detail, there are higher levels of drinking and vaping among young people who have actively gambled. Half (50 percent) of young people who gambled with their own money in the 12 months prior to the survey had also consumed an alcoholic drink during the same period (34 percent overall). Similarly, 21 percent of those who gambled with their own money in the same period had vaped, compared with 13 percent of the total sample.

Figure 1.6: Risk-taking behaviours in the past 12 months

Figure 1.6 information

GC_ACTIVITY: Please look at the list and for each activity, select when, if ever, you have done this.
Base: All 11 to 17 year olds answering who have drunk alcoholic drink 2025 (3,488), used an e-cigarette and/or vape 2025 (3,503), smoked tobacco cigarette 2025 (3,533), taken illegal drugs 2025 (3,534).

GAMSPEND4. And when did you last spend money on [this activity or these activities]? Was it…?

GC_GAMSPENDWHEN. When did you last do this activity? Was it
Summary of gambling in last 7 days, 4 weeks or 12 months.
Base: All 11 to 17 year olds answering 2025 (3,666).

Risk-taking behaviours in the past 12 months

Risk-taking behaviours in the past 12 months	2025 (percentage)
Experienced gambling in the last 12 months	49%
Drunk an alcoholic drink	34%
Active involvement in gambling	30%
Used an e-cigarette and/or vape	13%
Taken illegal drugs (including cannabis)	5%
Smoked a tobacco cigarette	5%

Table 1.7: Risk-taking behaviours in the past 12 months 2024 to 2025

GC_ACTIVITY. Please look at the list and for each activity, select when, if ever, you have done this.
Base: All answering who have drunk alcoholic drink 2024 (3,152), 2025 (3,488), used an e-cigarette and/or vape 2024 (3,163), 2025 (3,503), smoked tobacco cigarette 2024 (3,198), 2025 (3,533), taken illegal drugs 2024 (3,190), 2025 (3,534).

GC_GAMSPENDWHEN. When did you last do this activity? Was it…?
Summary of gambling in last 7 days, 4 weeks or 12 months.

GAMSPEND4. And when did you last spend money on [this activity or these activities]? Was it …?
Base: All answering 2024 (3,869), 2025 (3,666).

Table 1.7: Risk-taking behaviours in the past 12 months 2024 to 2025

Risk-taking behaviours in the past 12 months in 2024 and 2025	2024 (percentage)	2025 (percentage)	Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2024
Experienced gambling in the last 12 months	44%	49%	Significant increase
Drunk an alcoholic drink	37%	34%	Significant decrease
Spent money on any gambling activity in last 12 months	27%	30%	Significant increase
Used an e-cigarette and/or vape	15%	13%	Significant decrease
Smoked a tobacco cigarette	8%	5%	Significant decrease
Taken illegal drugs (including cannabis)	7%	5%	Significant decrease

Active involvement in gambling and experience of problem gambling

Summary

This section of the report covers young people’s active involvement in gambling, based on self-reported experiences of spending their own money on gambling activities in the past 12 months. It includes analysis of the demographic profile of those who reported gambling with their own money and explores why young people gamble.

This section also reports on the proportion of individuals who based on their behaviours and actions are identified as young people with gambling problems, according to the youth-adapted problem gambling screen (DSM-IV-MR-J).

Three in ten young people (30 percent) gambled using their own money in the 12 months preceding the survey, with higher rates among boys (34 percent) than girls (27 percent). Playing arcade gaming machines remained the most common gambling activity among 11 to 17 year olds (21 percent had spent their own money on this in the past year).

Overall, there was an increase in young people’s levels of active gambling since 2024, from 27 percent to 30 percent in 2025. The increase is notable in terms of the proportion participating in unregulated gambling (15 percent in 2024, to 18 percent in 2025).

The DSM-IV-MR-J classified 1.2 percent of young people as scoring 4 or more, 2.2 percent scored 2 or 3, and 27.0 percent scored 0 or 1. There was no significant change in the proportion of young people scoring 4 or more on the DSM-IV-MR-J since 2024.

The primary motivating factor for young people to gamble is the perception of it as ‘fun’, mentioned by 78 percent who spent their own money gambling in the last 12 months.

Definitions

Active involvement in gambling

Young people who participated in the survey were first asked if they had ever done any of the following list of 17 activities:

• National Lottery draw, for example Lotto, EuroMillions or Set for Life, either with a physical ticket or playing online
• National Lottery Scratchcards (not free Scratchcards)
• National Lottery online instant win games
• other lotteries (for example The Health Lottery, People’s Postcode Lottery, or other smaller lotteries)
• arcade gaming machines (for example penny pusher or claw grab machine)
• fruit or slot machines (for example at an arcade, pub or social club)
• gambling machines in a betting shop
• cards for money (for example with friends or family)
• bingo at a bingo club
• bingo at somewhere other than a bingo club (for example social club or holiday park)
• bingo online (for example Foxy Bingo, Gala Bingo or Tombola)
• bet for money between friends or family
• bet on esports (electronic sports such as playing video games competitively) online
• bet at a betting shop or bookies (for example on football or horse racing)
• bet on a betting website and/or app (for example on football or horse racing)
• game inside a casino in real life, not online
• online game on a casino website (for example online poker or online roulette for money).

Those who selected at least one of these activities were then asked if they had ever spent their own money on these activities, with ‘own money’ noted as meaning pocket money, birthday money or any money they earned themselves or got as a reward. Those who had spent their own money on at least one of the 17 listed activities were asked when they last spent their own money on the activities. Those who cited having spent their own money on any of these activities within the last 12 months are defined as being actively involved in gambling.

Experience of gambling

Young people are categorised as having some experience of gambling if they have ever done any of the 17 gambling activities previously listed but not necessarily spent their own money doing so.

Regulated and unregulated gambling

Regulated gambling activities are those which are licensed and regulated by the Gambling Commission, including betting or casino gaming provided by a licensed operator online or from premises, playing the National Lottery or other lottery products. This categorisation also includes playing gaming machines in betting shops, bingo premises, casinos or arcades. Due to different categories and requirements relating to gaming machines this report will include some gaming machine play which is not directly regulated by the Commission and in some incidences can be legally played by children and young people. Unregulated forms of gambling are those gambling activities which fall outside the remit of the Commission such as non-commercial gambling between friends and family or playing bingo somewhere other than a bingo club.

Young people's active involvement in gambling

Just over 3 in 5 (62 percent) young people had ever used their own money on some form of gambling. This is in line with the proportion that spent their own money on gambling in the 2024 study (61 percent).

Looking specifically at the last 12 months, 3 in 10 (30 percent) young people spent their own money on some form of gambling activity, an increase from 27 percent in 2024. This increase from 2024 might be explained by the only significant increase across the listed activities since 2024, which was placing a bet for money between friends or family (from 11 percent in 2024, to 14 percent in 2025).

Young people were most likely to have spent their own money on activities that are legal or do not feature age restricted products such as arcade gaming machines (21 percent), followed by placing bets for money with friends or family (14 percent), and playing cards for money (5 percent).

Figure 2.1: Top 10 gambling activities that young people spent their own money on in the last 12 months

Figure 2.1 information

GAMSPEND4. And when did you last spend money on [this activity or these activities]? Was it…?
Base: All 11 to 17 year olds answering 2025 (3,666).
Note: this is a multiple response question, therefore answers do not sum to 100 percent.

Top 10 gambling activities that young people spent their own money on in the last 12 months

Top 10 gambling activities young people spent their own money on within the past 12 months	2025 (percentage) (this is a multiple response question; therefore, answers do not sum to 100 percent)
Spent money on any gambling activity in last 12 months	30%
Played arcade gaming machines	21%
Placed a bet for money between friends or family	14%
Played cards for money	5%
Played fruit or slot machines	4%
Played bingo at somewhere other than a bingo club	2%
Placed a bet on a betting website and/or app	1%
Placed a bet at a betting shop or bookies	1%
Placed a bet on esports	1%
National Lottery scratchcards	1%
National Lottery draw	1%

Table 2.1: Top 10 gambling activities that young people spent their own money on in the last 12 months 2024 to 2025

GAMSPEND4. And when did you last spend money on [this activity or these activities]? Was it …?
Base: All answering 2024 (3,869), 2025 (3,666).
Note: multiple response question, therefore answers do not sum to 100 percent.

Table 2.1: Top 10 gambling activities that young people spent their own money on in the last 12 months 2024 to 2025

Top 10 gambling activities young people spent their own money on within the past 12 months	2024 (percentage)	2025 (percentage)	Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2024
Spent money on any gambling activity in last 12 months (from across all 17 listed activities)	27%	30%	Significant increase
Played arcade gaming machines	20%	21%	No significant difference
Placed a bet for money between friends or family	11%	14%	Significant increase
Played cards for money	5%	5%	No significant difference
Played fruit or slot machines	4%	4%	No significant difference
Played bingo at somewhere other than a bingo club	2%	2%	No significant difference
Placed a bet on a betting website and/or app	2%	1%	No significant difference
Placed a bet at a betting shop or bookies	1%	1%	No significant difference
Placed a bet on esports	1%	1%	No significant difference
National Lottery scratchcards	1%	1%	No significant difference
National Lottery draw	1%	1%	No significant difference

Compared with 2024, there has been a slight increase in young people’s engagement with regulated gambling activities (from 21 percent in 2024, to 23 percent in 2025). However, the proportion of young people who play regulated gambling activities, excluding arcade machines, has remained at the same level (6 percent in both 2024 and 2025). Overall, the increase was most notable in terms of the proportion participating in unregulated gambling (15 percent in 2024, to 18 percent in 2025).

Table 2.2: Engagement in regulated and unregulated gambling activities 2024 to 2025

Base: all answering 2024 (3,869), 2025 (3,666).

Table 2.2: Engagement in regulated and unregulated gambling activities 2024 to 2025

Engagement in regulated and unregulated gambling activities in 2024 and 2025	2024 (percentage)	2025 (percentage)	Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2024
Regulated gambling	21%	23%	Significant increase
Regulated gambling without arcade machines	6%	6%	No significant differences
Unregulated gambling	15%	18%	Significant increase

Young people who are actively involved in gambling: demographic profile

There was no significant difference by age in the proportion of young people who actively spent their own money (for example pocket money, birthday money or money they earned themselves) on gambling activities in the last 12 months. However, older age groups (14 to 17 year olds) were more likely to engage with unregulated gambling (19 percent) compared with 11 to 13 year olds (16 percent). This aligns with the higher proportion of 14 to 17 year olds who bet for money with friends or family (16 percent, compared with 12 percent of 11 to 13 year olds). Whilst younger age groups (11 to 15 years old) were more likely to play arcade gaming machines which are regulated (37 percent, compared with 26 percent of 16 to 17 year olds).

By gender, boys are more likely to have spent their own money on gambling in the last 12 months than girls (34 percent, compared with 27 percent).

Those who define their ethnicity as white were more likely than young people from black or ethnic minority backgrounds to have spent their own money on gambling in the last 12 months (35 percent, compared with 21 percent). This finding could be related to how active involvement in gambling was notably higher among young people who had seen their family members gamble, who in turn are more likely to come from a white ethnic background (33 percent of those from a white ethnic background compared with 19 percent of those from black or ethnic minority backgrounds have seen a family member they live with gamble).

Those young people who consider themselves to be a risk-taker are more likely to spend their own money on gambling than those who are not (39 percent, compared with 26 percent).

Reasons why young people gamble

Around 4 in 5 young people (78 percent) who spent their own money gambling in the last 12 months did so because they regard it as ‘fun’. This is, by far, the most common reason given for active gambling. Just over a third of young people gambled because they felt they had a good chance of winning something (36 percent) or to try to win money (34 percent).

Around 3 in 10 (31 percent) young people indicated that they gambled because the games are simple to play. A slightly smaller proportion cited that it gave them something to do (29 percent) or gambled because they felt they had a chance of winning a jackpot or big prize (28 percent).

According to the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB) 2024, adults predominantly gamble ‘for the chance to win big money’ (85 percent). However, those aged 18 to 24 who participated in the adult survey were more likely to gamble for fun (83 percent), much like 11 to 17 year olds.  

For more detail, please refer to Figure 2.2

Figure 2.2: Reasons why young people gamble within the past 12 months

Figure 2.2 information

GC_SPENDWHY. Thinking about when you have spent your money on [gambling activity], why did you do this?
Base: All participants (answering) who spent their own money in the last 12 months on… 2025 (1,108).
Note: this is a multiple response question, therefore answers do not sum to 100 percent.

Reasons why young people gamble within the past 12 months

Reasons why young people gamble	2025 (percentage) (this is a multiple response question; therefore, answers do not sum to 100 percent)
Because it is fun	78%
I have a good chance of winning something (even if not a big prize or jackpot)	36%
To try to win money	34%
The games are simple to play	31%
It gives me something to do	29%
I have a chance to win a jackpot or big prize	28%
Because I like to take risks	23%
To get a buzz or because it is exciting	22%
Because it is cool	15%
It helps me or cheers me up when I feel down, nervous or in a bad mood	13%
It's something my parents or guardians do	9%
Money goes to good causes	9%
It is something my friends do or I do not want to feel left out	7%

Overall, there was no significant change in young people’s motivations across any of the categories (see Table 2.3) for gambling compared with the findings from the 2024 survey.

Table 2.3: Reasons why young people gamble 2024 to 2025

GC_SPENDWHY: Thinking about when you have spent your money on [gambling activity], why did you do this?
Base: All answering who spent their own money in the last 12 months on... 2024 (1,015), 2025 (1,108).
Note: This is a multiple response questions, therefore answers do not sum to 100 percent.

Table 2.3: Reasons why young people gamble 2024 to 2025

Reasons for gambling	2024 (percentage) (multiple response question, therefore, answers do not sum to 100 percent)	2025 (percentage) (multiple response question, therefore, answers do not sum to 100 percent)	Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2024
Because it is fun	80%	78%	No significant difference
I have a good chance of winning something (even if not a big prize or jackpot)	37%	36%	No significant difference
To try to win money	34%	34%	No significant difference
The games are simple to play	33%	31%	No significant difference
It gives me something to do	29%	29%	No significant difference
I have a chance to win a jackpot or big prize	29%	28%	No significant difference
Because I like to take risks	23%	23%	No significant difference
To get a buzz or because it is exciting	22%	22%	No significant difference
Because it is cool	17%	15%	No significant difference
It helps me or cheers me up when I feel down, nervous or in a bad mood	13%	13%	No significant difference
It is something my parents or guardians do	10%	9%	No significant difference
Money goes to good causes	10%	9%	No significant difference
It is something my friends do or I do not want to feel left out	10%	7%	Significant decrease

Reasons for gambling: Demographic profile

Reasons for gambling in the last 12 months, among young people who spent their own money, differed most notably by gender. For instance, girls were more likely than boys to say they spend their money on playing arcade games because it is fun (84 percent, compared with 78 percent). In contrast, boys were more likely than girls to play arcade games because they have a good chance of winning a jackpot or big prize (31 percent, compared with 23 percent) or to try to win something (33 percent, compared with 27 percent).

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition – Multiple Response Juvenile (DSM-IV-MR-J) screen

A total of 1.2 percent of young people scored 4 or more on the DSM-IV-MR-J, 2.2 percent scored 2 or 3, and 27.0 percent scored 0 or 1. A total of 7 in 10 young people (69.6 percent) were not actively involved in gambling. Decimal places were used in the analysis to provide a more granular breakdown across categories.

Figure 2.3: DSM-IV-MR-J Youth Adapted problem gambling screen

Figure 2.3 information

Chart shows types of young people’s gambling risk profile as defined by the DSM-IV-MR-J youth-adapted problem gambling screen.
Base: All 11 to 17 year olds answering 2025 (3,666).

DSM-IV-MR-J Youth Adapted problem gambling screen

DSM-IV-MR-J Youth Adapted problem gambling screen	2025 (percentage)
Never have gambled	69.6%
DSM-IV-MR-J score 0 or 1	27.0%
DSM-IV-MR-J score 2 or 3	2.2%
DSM-IV-MR-J score 4 or more	1.2%

Despite the increase in the overall percentage of young people spending their own money on gambling activities in 2025, there has been no comparable rise in those defined as having gambling problems. The proportion of young people overall scoring 4 or more on the DSM-IV-MR-J has decreased from 1.5 percent in 2024 to 1.2 percent in 2025. Over the same period, the proportion of those scoring 2 or 3 on the DSM-IV-MR-J has increased from 1.9 to 2.2. These changes over time are indicative only as these reported changes are not statistically significant.

The data does, however, highlight a significant increase in the proportion of young people scoring 0 or 1 on the DSM-IV-MR-J, indicating fewer gambling-related problems, from 23.2 percent in 2024 to 27.0 percent in 2025.

Table 2.4: DSM-IV-MR-J Youth Adapted problem gambling screen 2024 to 2025

Types of gambling as defined by the DSM-IV-MR-J youth-adapted screen.
Base: All answering 2024 (3,869) and 2025 (3,666).

Table 2.4: DSM-IV-MR-J Youth Adapted problem gambling screen 2024 to 2025

Gambling category	2024 (percentage)	2025 (percentage)	Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2024
DSM-IV-MR-J score 0 or 1	23.2%	27.0%	Significant increase
DSM-IV-MR-J score 2 or 3	1.9%	2.2%	No significant difference
DSM-IV-MR-J score 4 or more	1.5%	1.2%	No significant difference
Never have gambled	72.7%	69.6%	No significant difference
Prefer not to say	0.7%	0.1%	No significant difference

DSM-IV-MR-J: Demographic profile

Boys were more likely than girls to score 4 or more on the DSM-IV-MR-J (1.2 percent, compared with 0.8 percent).

Table 2.5: DSM-IV-MR-J by gender

Table 2.5: DSM-IV-MR-J by gender

Gambling risk profile	Total	Score 0 or 1		Score 2 or 3		Score 4 or more
	Base	Base	Percentage	Base	Percentage	Base	Percentage
Boys	1,856	530	29.5%	57	3.2%	21	1.2%
Girls	1,697	447	25.5%	15	0.9%	14	0.8%

Young people who have seen members of their family gamble were comparatively more likely to score 4 or more on the DSM-IV-MR-J than those who had not (2 percent, compared with 0.5 percent).

Table 2.6: DSM-IV-MR-J by whether young people have seen a family member gamble

Table 2.6: DSM-IV-MR-J by whether young people have seen a family member gamble

Gambling risk profile	Total	Score 0 or 1		Score 2 or 3		Score 4 or more
	Base	Base	Percentage	Base	Percentage	Base	Percentage
Seen a family member gamble	1,014	357.7	36%	41.2	4.2%	19.7	2%
Not seen a family member gamble	1,946	494.2	24.9%	21.5	1.1%	9.9	0.5%

The numbers of individuals who fall into the categories of scoring 2 to 3 and 4 or more are below our threshold for analysis of 50 or more cases. As such these results should be treated with caution.

Trends in gambling behaviours: 2022 to 2025

Summary

This section of the report illustrates changes in gambling participation over time, including active involvement. It also examines changes in the proportion classified as young people with gambling problems, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition - Multiple Response Juvenile (DSM-IV-MR-J) screen.

Due to questionnaire changes made during 2020 to 2021, the 2022 survey forms a benchmark against which subsequent waves of research are measured. As such the data in this section covers 4 Young People and Gambling Surveys carried out between 2022 and 2025. The data is shown for each survey and highlights long term changes between 2022 and 2025.

When comparing the datasets over time it is important to note changes to the sample from 2023 onwards, specifically the inclusion of Year 12 students which widened the survey to capture the attitudes and behaviours of 17 year olds for the first time. In the same year, the sample of schools approached to take part was also broadened to include independent schools.

The analysis of long-term trends between 2022 and 2025 suggests stability in the proportion of young people actively involved in gambling activities. The top 10 gambling activities that young people spend their own money on have remained consistent over time, with arcade gaming machines play the most common activity each year (20 percent in 2022, 21 percent in 2025).

Young people’s experience of ever gambling has also remained at the same level: 3 in 5 young people reported that they had gambled on at least one activity at any time point in 2022 (60 percent) and 2025 (59 percent). The long-term trend data also suggests that levels of gambling participation over the 12 month period are consistent, with half of young people in both 2022 (50 percent) and 2025 (49 percent) gambling in the last 12 months.

The proportion of young people scoring any category on the DSM-IV-MR-J screen has remained the same since 2022. Likewise, the proportion of young people who have never gambled has remained consistent (68.9 percent in 2022 and 69.6 percent in 2025). The proportion of young people categorised as a 4 or more on the DSM-IV-MR-J scale increased between 2023 (0.7 percent) and 2024 (1.5 percent). However, the longer term trend shows no significant difference between 2022 and 2025 (0.9 percent, and 1.2 percent, respectively).

Experience of gambling 2022 to 2025

This section of the chapter explores long-term trends in young people’s wider experience of gambling, including those who spend their own money. Overall, analysis of gambling behaviour from 2022 to 2025 suggests that there has been no significant change in the prevalence of young people gambling during this period.

As shown in Table 3.1, there were consistent levels of involvement as measured by the ever experienced gambling indicator (60 percent in 2022 and 59 percent in 2025) and in terms of gambling involvement in the last 12 months (50 percent in 2022 and 49 percent in 2025).

A similar consistent pattern was observed among young people who spent their own money on gambling in the last 12 months (31 percent in 2022 and 30 percent in 2025) and last 7 days (7 percent in 2022 and 6 percent in 2025). The only significant variation noted is a slight decrease in the proportion of young people who spent their own money on gambling activities in the 4 weeks preceding the survey, from 18 percent in 2022 to 16 percent in 2025.

The analysis of the 4 studies reveals a noticeable, yet short-term drop in gambling participation during 2023 and 2024. It is crucial to interpret this in the context of the overall stable engagement levels observed across the 2022 to 2025 timeframe. The consistency at other time points suggests that gambling activities maintain a significant appeal and accessibility for this demographic.

Table 3.1: Wider experience and active involvement in gambling in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025

Base: All answering 2022 (2,559), 2023 (3,453), 2024 (3,869) 2025 (3,666).

Table 3.1: Wider experience and active involvement in gambling in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025

Wider experience and active involvement in gambling in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025	2022 (percentage) (answers do not sum to 100 percent as table shows more than one question)	2023 (percentage) (answers do not sum to 100 percent as table shows more than one question)	2024 (percentage) (answers do not sum to 100 percent as table shows more than one question)	2025 (percentage) (answers do not sum to 100 percent as table shows more than one question)	Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2022
Ever experienced gambling	60%	48%	52%	59%	No significant difference
Experienced gambling in last 12 months	50%	40%	44%	49%	No significant difference
Spent money on gambling in last 12 months	31%	26%	27%	30%	No significant difference
Spent money on gambling in last 4 weeks	18%	13%	14%	16%	Significant decrease
Spent money on gambling in last 7 days	7%	5%	6%	6%	No significant difference

Active involvement in gambling 2022 to 2025

The long-term trend shows no change in the proportion of young people actively involved in gambling: 31 percent in 2022 and 30 percent in 2025.

The top 10 gambling activities that young people spend their own money on has also remained broadly consistent over time, with arcade gaming machines play the most common activity each year, as shown in Table 3.2. The exceptions are National Lottery online instant win games falling out of the top 10 activities over time, to be replaced with betting at a shop or bookies, and a slight dip in placing a bet for money in the intervening years of 2023 and 2024 (15 percent 2022, 11 percent 2023, 11 percent 2024 and 14 percent 2025).

Table 3.2: Top 10 gambling activities that young people spent their own money on within the past 12 months, in 2025 (with comparison data for 2022 to 2024)

GAMSPEND4. And when did you last spend money on [this activity or these activities]? Was it …?
Base: All answering 2022 (2,559), 2023 (3,453), 2024 (3,869), 2025 (3,666).
Note: multiple response question, therefore answers do not sum to 100 percent.

Table 3.2: Top 10 gambling activities that young people spent their own money on within the past 12 months, in 2025 (with comparison data for 2022 to 2024)

Top 10 gambling activities young people spent their own money on within the past 12 months (list based on activities in 2025)	2022 (percentage)	2023 (percentage)	2024 (percentage)	2025 (percentage)	Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2022
Spent money on any gambling activity in last 12 months	31%	26%	27%	30%	No significant difference
Played arcade gaming machines	22%	19%	20%	21%	No significant difference
Placed a bet for money between friends or family	15%	11%	11%	14%	No significant difference
Played cards for money	5%	5%	5%	5%	No significant difference
Played fruit or slot machines	3%	3%	4%	4%	No significant difference
Played bingo at somewhere other than a bingo club	2%	1%	2%	2%	No significant difference
Placed a bet on a betting website and/or app	1%	1%	2%	1%	No significant difference
Placed a bet on esports	2%	1%	1%	1%	No significant difference
Played an online game on a casino website (for example online poker or online roulette for money)	1%	1%	1%	1%	No significant difference
Placed a bet at a betting shop or bookies	1%	1%	1%	1%	No significant difference
National Lottery scratchcards	1%	1%	1%	1%	No significant difference

Trends in the DSM-IV-MR-J screen

This section reports on long-term trends in the proportion of individuals who based on their behaviours and actions are identified as young people with gambling problems, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition - Multiple Response Juvenile (DSM-IV-MR-J) screen.

Overall, young people’s DSM-IV-MR-J scores have remained broadly at the same level over time, alongside the consistent proportion of young people who have never gambled (68.9 percent in 2022 and 69.6 percent in 2025).

Looking at each category of the DSM-IV-MR-J scores in detail reveals some fluctuations over the short term but indicates no substantial long-term trends from 2022 to 2025. There was a decrease in the proportion categorised as score 0 or 1 on the DSM-IV-MR-J screen between 2022 (27.3 percent) and 2023 (23.0 percent), but the longer term trends show no significant difference (27.0 percent in 2025). A similar fluctuation was observed between 2022 and 2023 in the proportion of young people categorised as score 2 or 3 on the DSM-IV-MR-J scale between 2022 (2.4 percent in 2022, and 1.5 percent 2023), but the longer term trends once again show no significant difference.

The proportion of young people categorised as a 4 or more on the DSM-IV-MR-J scale increased between 2023 (0.7 percent) and 2024 (1.5 percent). However, the longer term trend shows no significant difference between 2022 and 2025 (0.9 percent, and 1.2 percent, respectively).

Table 3.3: DSM-IV-MR-J Youth Adapted problem screen, in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025

Types of young people’s gambling risk profile as defined by the DSM-IV-MR-J youth-adapted problem screen.
Base: All answering 2022 (2,559), 2023 (3,453), 2024 (3,869), 2025 (3,666).

Table 3.3: DSM-IV-MR-J Youth Adapted problem screen, in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025

Gambling risk categories	2022 (percentage)	2023 (percentage)	2024 (percentage)	2025 (percentage)	Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2022
DSM-IV-MR-J score 0 or 1	27.3%	23.0%	23.2%	27.0%	No significant difference
DSM-IV-MR-J score 2 or 3	2.4%	1.5%	1.9%	2.2%	No significant difference
DSM-IV-MR-J score 4 or more	0.9%	0.7%	1.5%	1.2%	No significant difference
Never have gambled	68.9%	74.2%	72.7%	69.6%	No significant difference
Prefer not to say	0.5%	0.8%	0.7%	0.1%	No significant difference

Young people’s exposure to gambling

Summary

This section covers young people’s recall of gambling adverts, including the frequency and perceived impact of exposure, as well as their experiences of following gambling-related content on social media, streaming platforms and influencers.

Most young people (79 percent) recalled having seen or heard adverts or promotion about gambling through at least one online (74 percent) or offline (77 percent) source. TV, apps and social media were the most frequently cited sources (64 percent, 63 percent and 56 percent respectively).

The data indicates that social media, apps, and live streaming or video-sharing platforms are the most frequently mentioned channels through which young people encounter gambling-related advertisements on a weekly basis. Specifically, 49 percent of young people reported seeing adverts on social media at least once a week, followed by 47 percent via apps and 46 percent via platforms like Twitch or YouTube. Overall, offline sources showing gambling-related adverts were typically seen less frequently, than online sources.

A minority of young people (7 percent) who recalled seeing a gambling-related advert reported that these promotions prompted them to spend money on gambling that they had not previously planned.

The 2025 survey highlights for the first time the role social media influencers, creators, and streamers play in exposing young people to gambling-related advertisements. Of the 16 percent of young individuals who follow gambling-related content on social media, 31 percent reported that influencers had advertised gambling-related content to them.

Recall of gambling advertising or promotions

Four in five young people (79 percent) have at some point seen or heard adverts or promotion about gambling through either an online or offline source.

Almost three quarters cited an offline source (77 percent), with TV being the most common (64 percent), followed by sport events, including branding on players’ shirts and around pitches (47 percent) and posters and/or billboards (45 percent). Two in five heard adverts or promotion about gambling on the radio or seen them in newspapers or magazines (39 percent in both instances).

A similar proportion overall (74 percent) cited an online source, with apps (63 percent), social media (56 percent) and live streaming or video sharing platforms (42 percent) being the most frequently mentioned. One in five (18 percent) recall hearing gambling adverts during a podcast.

Figure 4.1: Recall of sources of gambling adverts or promotion within the past 12 months

Figure 4.1 information

GC_ADAWARE. Have you seen or heard adverts or promotion about gambling in any of the following places?
Base: All answering 2025: TV (3,526), Radio (3,520), Podcast (3,520), Sports event (3,519), Newspapers or magazines (3,519), Posters and/or billboards (3,520), On an app (3,522), Social media (3,523), Live streaming or video-sharing platforms (3,519), Other websites (3,508).
Note: This is a multiple response question, so the responses shown will not add up to 100 percent.
Note: In 2025 the response code ‘Somewhere else’ was removed. In order to provide comparable data year-on-year the 2024 data has been rebased to exclude this response code.

Recall of sources of gambling adverts or promotion within the past 12 months

Exposure to gambling advertising or promotions	2025 (percentage) (this is a multiple response question; therefore, answers will not add up to 100 percent)
Gambling adverts offline	77%
Gambling advert online	74%
On TV	64%
On an app	63%
On social media	56%
At a sports event	47%
On posters or billboards	45%
On live streaming or video sharing platforms	42%
On the radio	39%
In newspapers or magazines	39%
On another website	37%
On a podcast	18%

The analysis reveals notable differences between boys and girls in exposure to gambling-related adverts or promotions, with boys significantly more likely than girls to encounter these across various platforms, notably:

• live streaming or video sharing platforms: 53 percent of boys reported exposure, compared with 31 percent of girls
• at sports events: 57 percent of boys, compared with 37 percent of girls.

Young people who considered themselves to be risk-takers and those who have seen a family member gamble were more likely to recall seeing or hearing gambling-related adverts or promotions across all listed sources.

There has been no overall change since 2024 in the proportion of young people who recall seeing or hearing adverts or promotion about gambling either offline or online, as shown in Table 4.1.

Table 4.1: Recall of sources of gambling adverts or promotion 2024 to 2025

GC_ADAWARE. Have you seen or heard adverts or promotion about gambling in any of the following places?
Base: All answering 2024: TV (3,253), Radio (3,245), Podcast (3,240), Sports event (3,250), Newspapers or magazines (3,240), Posters and/or billboards (3,239), On an app (3,247), Social media (3,249), Live streaming or video-sharing platforms (3,241), Other websites (3,241).
Base: All answering 2025: TV (3,526), Radio (3,520), Podcast (3,520), Sports event (3,519), Newspapers or magazines (3,519), Posters and/or billboards (3,520), On an app (3,522), Social media (3,523), Live streaming or video-sharing platforms (3,519), Other websites (3,508).
Note: This is a multiple response question, so the responses shown will not add up to 100 percent.
Note: In 2025 the response code ‘Somewhere else’ was removed. In order to provide comparable data year-on-year the 2024 data has been rebased to exclude this response code.

Table 4.1: Recall of sources of gambling adverts or promotion 2024 to 2025

Exposure to gambling adverts	2024 (percentage) (multiple response question, answers do not sum to 100 percent)	2025 (percentage) (multiple response question, answers do not sum to 100 percent)	Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2024
On TV	64%	64%	No significant difference
On an app	62%	63%	No significant difference
On social media	58%	56%	No significant difference
At a sports event	48%	47%	No significant difference
On posters or billboards	45%	45%	No significant difference
On live streaming or video sharing platforms	43%	42%	No significant difference
On the radio	39%	39%	No significant difference
In newspapers or magazines	41%	39%	No significant difference
On another website	38%	37%	No significant difference
On a podcast	21%	18%	Significant decrease
Gambling adverts offline	76%	77%	No significant difference
Gambling adverts online	74%	74%	No significant difference

Frequency of seeing or hearing gambling adverts or promotions

Young people who saw or heard a gambling-related advert and/or promotion were asked how frequently this happened.

Between a third and a half of young people noted seeing or hearing them at least once a week through the different channels and/or sources cited. Young people were most likely to cite social media (49 percent), on an app (47 percent) and live streaming or video sharing platforms as channels (46 percent) through which they had seen or heard these adverts at least weekly.

There were variations by gender, with boys more likely than girls to recall having seen or heard gambling adverts or promotions at least once a week via all the different channels listed. The largest differences between boys and girls in seeing adverts at least once week were on social media (58 percent of boys, compared with 38 percent of girls), on live streaming or video sharing platforms (53 percent of boys, compared with 35 percent of girls), and on apps (55 percent of boys, compared with 37 percent of girls).

Figure 4.2: Frequency of seeing or hearing gambling adverts or promotions (proportion who had seen and/or heard at least once a week) within the past 12 months

Figure 4.2 information

GC_ADFREQ. And how often do you see or hear adverts or promotion about gambling in the following places?
Base: All answering “On social media” 2025 (1,955). “On an app” 2025 (2,179). “On TV” 2025 (2,258). “On the radio” 2025 (1,392). “On live streaming or video sharing platforms” 2025 (1,478). “At a sports event” 2025 (1,648). “On another website” 2025 (1,269). “On a podcast” 2025 (678). “On posters and/or billboards” 2025 (1,566). “In newspapers or magazines” 2025 (1,341).
Note: This is a multiple response question, so the responses shown will not add up to 100 percent.

Frequency of seeing or hearing gambling adverts or promotions (proportion who had seen and/or heard at least once a week) within the past 12 months

Frequency of seeing or hearing gambling advertisements or promotions (at least once a week)	2025 (percentage) (this is a multiple response question; therefore, answers will not add up to 100 percent)
On social media (including Snapchat, Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok)	49%
On an app	47%
On live streaming or video sharing platforms (including Twitch and YouTube)	46%
On TV	43%
On the radio	42%
At a sports event (for example at football stadiums or on players' shirts or around the pitch)	40%
On another website	40%
On a podcast	38%
On posters or billboards	33%
In newspapers or magazines	28%

The overall proportion of young people who recall having seen gambling-related adverts or promotion weekly is consistent with 2024. Social media (46 percent in 2024 and 49 percent in 2025) and an app (45 percent in 2024 and 47 percent in 2025) continue to be highlighted as the most likely sources of gambling-related advertisements seen weekly.

However, the proportion of young people seeing gambling-related advertisements weekly on TV (43 percent) fell out of the top 3 primary sources and was replaced by live streaming or video sharing platforms (46 percent). The data also continues to show that offline sources, such as newspapers and posters and/or billboards, are less likely to be seen on a weekly basis and more likely to be seen less frequently.

This trend aligns with the shift towards digital consumption, as highlighted in a 2025 Ofcom report (opens in new tab) showing that 96 percent of 13 to 17-year-olds are active online and thus encounter more advertisements on digital platforms such as social media.

Table 4.2: Frequency of seeing or hearing gambling adverts or promotions (proportion who had seen and/or heard at least once a week) 2024 to 2025

GC_ADFREQ. And how often, do you see or hear adverts or promotion about gambling in the following places
Base: All answering “On social media” 2024 (1,843). “On an app” 2024 (1,989). “On TV” 2024 (2,055). “On the radio” 2024 (1,218). “On live streaming or video sharing platforms” 2024 (1,323). “At a sports event” 2024 (1,513). “On another website” 2024 (1,206). “On a podcast” 2024 (634). “On posters and/or billboards” 2024 (1,429). “In newspapers or magazines” 2024 (1,295). “Somewhere else” 2024 (775).
Base: All answering “On social media” 2025 (1,955). “On an app” 2025 (2,179). “On TV” 2025 (2,258). “On the radio” 2025 (1,392). “On live streaming or video sharing platforms” 2025 (1,478). “At a sports event” 2025 (1,648). “On another website” 2025 (1,269). “On a podcast” 2025 (678). “On posters and/or billboards” 2025 (1,566). “In newspapers or magazines” 2025 (1,341).
Note: This is a multiple response question, so the responses shown will not add up to 100 percent.

Table 4.2: Frequency of seeing or hearing gambling adverts or promotions (proportion who had seen and/or heard at least once a week) 2024 to 2025

Frequency of seeing and/or hearing gambling promotions and/or adverts at least once a week	2024 (percentage) (multiple response question, answers do not sum to 100 percent)	2025 (percentage) (multiple response question, answers do not sum to 100 percent)	Statistical differences 2025 compared with 2024
On social media (including Snapchat, Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok)	46%	49%	No significant difference
On an app	45%	47%	No significant difference
On live streaming or video sharing platforms (including Twitch, YouTube)	43%	46%	No significant difference
On TV	44%	43%	No significant difference
On the radio	41%	42%	No significant difference
At a sports event (for example at football stadiums or on players' shirts or around the pitch)	40%	40%	No significant difference
On another website	39%	40%	No significant difference
On a podcast	38%	38%	No significant difference
On posters or billboards	33%	33%	No significant difference
In newspapers or magazines	32%	28%	Significant decrease

Perceived impact of gambling adverts on unplanned spending

Young people who recalled having seen a gambling-related advert or promotion were asked if these adverts or promotions had ever prompted them to spend money on gambling that they were not otherwise planning to. One in fourteen young people (7 percent) noted that they had been prompted by these adverts to spend money on gambling.

Figure 4.3: The perceived impact of adverts on unplanned spending on gambling within the past 12 months

Figure 4.3 information

GC_ADSPEND. Have adverts or promotion about gambling ever prompted you to spend money on gambling when you were not otherwise planning to?
Base: All participants answering who have seen and/or heard any gambling adverts or promotions 2025 (2,846).

The perceived impact of adverts on unplanned spending on gambling within the past 12 months

The impact of gambling advertisements on unplanned spending	2025 (percentage)
Yes	7%
No	82%
Do not know	10%

There were no differences by gender, age or ethnicity in terms of whether young people felt they had been prompted to spend money on gambling after seeing or hearing an advert. However, young people who considered themselves to be risk-takers were more likely to feel they had been influenced by gambling-related adverts (13 percent, compared with 4 percent). Additionally, young people who had seen a family member gamble were more likely than those who had not seen a family member gamble to feel they had been influenced by gambling-related adverts (11 percent, compared with 5 percent).

There has been no overall change since 2024 in the proportion of young people who were prompted to spend money on gambling after seeing and/or hearing an advert, as shown in Table 4.3.

Table 4.3: The perceived impact of adverts on unplanned spending on gambling 2024 to 2025

GC_ADSPEND. Have adverts or promotion about gambling ever prompted you to spend money on gambling when you were not otherwise planning to?
Base: All answering who have seen and/or heard any gambling adverts or promotions 2024 (2,592), 2025 (2,846).

Table 4.3: The perceived impact of adverts on unplanned spending on gambling 2024 to 2025

Response	2024 (percentage)	2025 (percentage)	Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2024
Yes	8%	7%	No significant difference
No	82%	82%	No significant difference
Do not know	11%	10%	No significant difference

Engagement with gambling related content on social media

Around 1 in 6 (16 percent) young people followed gambling companies (including those who provide betting, bingo and lottery activities and gamblers who stream their gambling or provide content about it) through at least one social media and/or streaming platform. The most frequently cited platforms were TikTok (11 percent), YouTube (9 percent), Instagram (6 percent) and Snapchat (6 percent).

Figure 4.4: Engagement with gambling-related content on social media and streaming platforms within the past 12 months

Figure 4.4 information

GC_SOCIALMED. Do you follow any gambling companies on any of the following social media or streaming platforms?
Base: All participants answering 2025 (3,519).
Note: this is a multiple response question, therefore answers will not add up to 100 percent.

Engagement with gambling-related content on social media and streaming platforms within the past 12 months

Social media and streaming platform engagement with gambling companies	2025 (percentage) (this is a multiple response question; therefore, answers will not add up to 100 percent)
Yes	16%
Yes, on TikTok	11%
Yes, on YouTube	9%
Yes, on Instagram	6%
Yes, on Snapchat	6%
Yes, on X	4%
Yes, on Facebook	3%
Yes, on Twitch	3%
No	74%
No, I do not follow any gambling on social media and/or streaming platforms	70%
No, I do not use social media and/or streaming platforms	4%
Do not know or cannot remember	10%

There were variations by sub-group in terms of young people who were more likely to follow gambling companies on social media or streaming platforms, notably:

• young people actively involved in gambling within the last 12 months were significantly more likely to follow gambling companies through at least one social media and/or streaming platform (20 percent)
• boys were significantly more likely than girls to follow gambling companies through at least one social media and/or streaming platform (21 percent of boys, compared with 10 percent of girls)
• those young people who had seen a family member gamble were more likely than those who had not to follow gambling companies on social media and/or streaming platforms (20 percent, compared with 13 percent).

It is also interesting to note that young people who do not feel well informed about the risks of gambling were more likely to follow gambling companies on social media or streaming platforms, than those who were informed (29 percent, and 15 percent, respectively).

The overall proportion of young people who follow gambling companies on social media or streaming platforms has remained at the same level (16 percent in 2025 and 17 percent in 2024), as has the split by the different types of social media, as shown in Table 4.4.

Table 4.4: Engagement with gambling-related content on social media and streaming platforms 2024 to 2025

GC_SOCIALMED. Do you follow any gambling companies on any of the following social media or streaming platforms?
Base: All answering 2024 (3,178), 2025 (3,519).
Note: This is a multiple response question, so the responses shown will not add up to 100 percent.

Table 4.4: Engagement with gambling-related content on social media and streaming platforms 2024 to 2025

Response	2024 (percentage) (multiple response question, answers do not sum to 100 percent)	2025 (percentage) (multiple response question, answers do not sum to 100 percent)	Statistical differences 2025 compared with 2024
Yes	17%	16%	No significant difference
Yes, on TikTok	10%	11%	No significant difference
Yes, on YouTube	9%	9%	No significant difference
Yes, on Instagram	6%	6%	No significant difference
Yes, on Snapchat	6%	6%	No significant difference
Yes, on X	3%	4%	No significant difference
Yes, on Twitch	4%	3%	No significant difference
Yes, on Facebook	4%	3%	No significant difference

The role of influencers in advertising gambling-related content

The 2025 survey included a new question to explore the role of influencers. Young people who follow gambling-related content on social media or streaming platforms were asked whether gambling content was advertised to them by influencers, creators or streamers.

Of the 16 percent of young people who follow gambling-related content on social media or streaming platforms, 3 in 10 (31 percent) have been exposed to gambling advertising from the influencers, creators, or streamers that they follow.

Older young people were more likely to have seen gambling-related adverts on an influencer’s, streamer’s or creator’s social media platform, than young people overall (49 percent of 16 year olds, compared with 31 percent). Moreover, boys were significantly more likely than girls to have seen advertised gambling-related content this way (35 percent of boys, compared with 21 percent of girls).

Figure 4.5: Advertising of gambling-related content by influencers, creators, streamers young people follow within the past 12 months

Figure 4.5 information

GC_INFLUENCER. Have any influencers, creators or streamers you follow advertised gambling content to you?
Base: All participants answering who follow gambling related content on social media or streaming platforms 2025 (578).

Advertising of gambling-related content by influencers, creators, streamers young people follow within the past 12 months

Advertising of gambling-related content by influencers, creators, streamers young people follow within the past 12 months	2025 (percentage)
Yes	31%
No	53%
Do not know	15%

The impact of gambling on young people

Summary

This section of the report examines the potential impact that young people may experience as a result of their own or someone else's gambling, including the impact on relationships with family and friends, school and quality of life.

To set the findings in context the section starts by exploring young people’s experience of seeing a family member gamble.

Three in ten (29 percent) young people have seen a family member they live with gamble. While 1 in 10 (9 percent) reported that gambling by a family member had helped pay for activities, 7 percent experienced arguments or tension at home, and 4 percent felt that their parent or guardian had less time to spend with them because of their gambling.

Overall 12 percent of young people who witnessed a family member gamble lost sleep because of worrying about it. Around 1 in 10 also expressed feeling sad and worried about a family members gambling.

The study used the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition - Multiple Response Juvenile (DSM-IV-MR-J) screen questions to identify the impact of gambling on young people. In the past 12 months, 2 percent of young gamblers missed school due to gambling, a decrease from 5 percent in 2024. While most reported no issues, 5 percent had lied to family, friends or others and 7 percent had arguments with them.

Experience of ever seeing a family member gambling

Around 3 in 10 (29 percent) young people have seen a family member they live with gamble. As shown in Figure 5.1, 57 percent who have not and a further 14 percent who did not know.

Analysis by sub-group highlights variations in who is more likely to report seeing a family member gamble. For example, boys were more likely than girls to have seen their family members gamble (31 percent, compared with 27 percent). Young people from white ethnic groups (33 percent) were more likely than young people from ethnic minority backgrounds (19 percent) to have seen a family member gamble. Young people who consider themselves to be risk-takers (38 percent) were also more likely to have seen a family member gamble, compared with those who did not consider themselves risk-takers (24 percent).

Figure 5.1: Experience of ever seeing family members gambling

Figure 5.1 information

GC_FAMGAM. Have you ever seen any of the family members that you live with gambling? When we talk about gambling, we mean any activity which involves risking money (or something of value) in a game or a bet in the hope of winning money or a prize.
Base: All participants answering 2025 (3,484).

Experience of ever seeing family members gambling

Experience of family member gambling	2025 (percentage)
Yes	29%
No	57%
Do not know	14%

The order of this section of the questionnaire was changed in 2025, so while trend data indicates that the proportion of young people who have seen family members gambling has increased since 2024 (26 percent in 2024, compared with 29 percent in 2025), the data is not directly comparable.

Impact of seeing a family member gamble

Young people who had ever seen family members gamble were asked if this had affected specific aspects of their lives either rarely, sometimes, often, all of the time or never. A combination figure for ‘sometimes’, ‘often’, or ‘all of the time’ has been used to report the impact that gambling can have on young people’s well-being, unless specified otherwise.

As shown in Table 5.2, 1 in 10 (9 percent) young people say that their family’s gambling has helped to pay for other things or activities, for example, holidays, trips, clubs. Smaller proportions of young people reported that family members gambling impacted on parents or guardians having time to spend with young people (4 percent) or the availability of food at home or money on school canteen card and/or account (mentioned by 2 percent). However, 7 percent of young people felt that it had resulted in more arguments or tension at home.

Girls were more likely to report that family members gambling impacted on the time parents or guardians had free to spend with them (6 percent of girls, compared with 3 percent of boys) and that it led to more arguments and tension in the home (9 percent of girls, compared with 4 percent of boys).

There were also variations by ethnicity: Young people from ethnic minorities (excluding white minorities) were more likely to mention the impact that family members gambling had on the time parents or guardians had free to spend with them (10 percent, compared with 3 percent of young people who are white), the availability of food at home or money on school canteen accounts (6 percent, compared with 1 percent of young people who are white) and in terms of arguments and tension in the home (14 percent, compared with 5 percent of young people who are white).

Compared with 2024, there were significant decreases in the proportion of young people indicating that their family’s gambling sometimes, often, or all of the time led to any of the listed aspects. However, shifts in the data over time should be interpreted with caution due to modifications in the questionnaire's order and structure for this section.

Table 5.1: The impact of family members’ gambling on young people’s well-being 2024 to 2025

GC_FAMGAMFOOD, GC_FAMGAMPAY, GC_FAMLEDTME, GC_FAMLEDARG. Thinking about the last 12 months, how often, if at all.
Base: All answering who have seen family members live with gamble – “Stopped you from having enough food (food at home or money on school canteen card and/or account” 2024 (889), 2025 (997); “Helped your family pay for other things or activities” 2024 (890), 2025 (1,000); “Your parents or guardians having less time to spend with you” 2024 (888), 2025 (999); “More arguments or tension at home” 2024 (891), 2025 (1,000).

Table 5.1: The impact of family members’ gambling on young people’s well-being 2024 to 2025

Helped your family pay for other things or activities	2024 (percentage)	2025 (percentage)	Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2024
Never	66%	76%	Significant increase
Rarely	11%	10%	No significant difference
Sometimes	8%	7%	No significant difference
Often	2%	1%	No significant difference
All the time	3%	1%	Significant decrease
Do not know	6%	6%	No significant difference
Sometimes, often and all the time	13%	9%	Significant decrease
Stopped you from having enough food	2024 (percentage)	2025 (percentage)	Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2024
Never	86%	94%	Significant increase
Rarely	3%	1%	Significant decrease
Sometimes	1%	*	No significant difference
Often	1%	1%	No significant difference
All the time	2%	1%	No significant difference
Do not know	3%	2%	No significant difference
Sometimes, often and all the time	4%	2%	Significant decrease
Your parents or guardians having less time to spend with you	2024 (percentage)	2025 (percentage)	Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2024
Never	80%	90%	Significant increase
Rarely	6%	3%	Significant increase
Sometimes	4%	2%	Significant decrease
Often	1%	1%	No significant difference
All the time	2%	1%	No significant difference
Do not know	3%	2%	No significant difference
Sometimes, often and all the time	7%	4%	Significant decrease
More arguments or tension at home	2024 (percentage)	2025 (percentage)	Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2024
Never	77%	87%	Significant increase
Rarely	6%	4%	Significant decrease
Sometimes	3%	3%	No significant difference
Often	3%	2%	No significant difference
All the time	2%	2%	No significant difference
Do not know	3%	3%	No significant difference
Sometimes, often and all the time	9%	7%	Significant decrease

Loss of sleep

Young people who had ever seen family members in their household gamble, were asked how often, if at all, they lost sleep because they worried about the gambling of a family member or someone else who is responsible for looking after them.

One in ten (12 percent) young people had lost sleep, at least once in the past 12 months, because they were worrying about the gambling of a family member or someone who is responsible for looking after them.

This finding is consistent across all subgroups apart from young people from ethnic minorities (excluding white minorities) who were more likely than those who are white to have lost sleep worrying about the gambling of a family member or someone who is responsible for them, at least some of the time (23 percent, compared with 10 percent).

Figure 5.2: The impact that family members’ gambling can have on young people’s sleep due to worry within the past 12 months

Figure 5.2 information

GC _SLEEPFAMGAM. Over the past year, how often, if at all, have you lost sleep at night because…
Base: All 11-17 year olds answering, “You have been worrying about the gambling of a family member or someone who is responsible for looking after you” 2025 (970)

The impact that family members’ gambling can have on young people’s sleep due to worry within the past 12 months

The impact that family members’ gambling can have on young people’s sleep due to worry	2025 (percentage) (You have been worrying about the gambling of a family member or someone who is responsible for looking after you)
Never	86%
Rarely	6%
Sometimes	2%
Often	2%
All the time	2%
Do not know	1%

Feeling worried or sad

Overall, 7 percent of young people who had seen family members they live with gamble, say this has made them feel sad at least once in the past 12 months.

Girls were more likely than boys to say that family members gambling had made them feel sad, at least once in the past 12 months (9 percent, compared with 5 percent). Those from ethnic minorities (excluding white minorities) were also more likely than those who are white to say that seeing a family member gambling made them feel sad (15 percent, compared with 6 percent).

One in ten (10 percent) young people who saw family members they live with gamble say that this made them worried at least once in the past 12 months.

Once again, girls were more likely than boys to say that family members gambling made them worried, at least sometimes (13 percent, compared with 7 percent) as were those from ethnic minorities (19 percent, compared with 7 percent of young people from white ethnic backgrounds).

Figure 5.3: The impact of family members’ gambling on young people’s emotions within the past 12 months

Figure 5.3 information

GC_NEWFELTBADFAMSAD, GC_NEWFELTBADFAMWOR. In the past 12 months how often, if at all, would you say that gambling among your family members and/or people you live with has made you feel…
Base: All 11 to 17 year olds answering who have seen family members live with gamble “Worried” 2025 (999), “Sad” 2025 (996).

The impact of family members’ gambling on young people’s emotions within the past 12 months

The impact of family members’ gambling on young people’s emotions		2025 (percentage)
Worried	Sad
Never	88%	91%
Rarely	4%	3%
Sometimes	3%	2%
Often	2%	1%
All the time	1%	2%
Do not know	2%	2%

The proportion of young people who felt sad or worried due to a family member or person they live with gambling in the last 12 months has remained consistent, as shown in Table 5.4.

Table 5.2: The impact of family members’ gambling on young people’s emotions 2024 to 2025

GC_NEWFELTBADFAMSAD. In the past 12 months how often, if at all, would you say that gambling among your family members and or people you live with has made you feel... sad, worried
Base: All participants who have seen family members live with gamble, Sad and worried: 2024 (865), Sad: 2025 (996), Worried: 2025 (999).

Table 5.2: The impact of family members’ gambling on young people’s emotions 2024 to 2025

The impact of family members’ gambling on young people feeling sad	2024 (percentage)	2025 (percentage)	Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2024
Never	86%	91%	Significant increase
Rarely	4%	3%	No significant difference
Sometimes	2%	2%	No significant difference
Often	2%	1%	No significant difference
All the time	1%	2%	No significant difference
At least once in the past 12 months	9%	7%	No significant difference
The impact of family members’ gambling on young people feeling worried	2024 (percentage)	2025 (percentage)	Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2024
Never	82%	88%	Significant increase
Rarely	7%	4%	Significant decrease
Sometimes	4%	3%	No significant difference
Often	2%	1%	No significant difference
All the time	1%	2%	No significant difference
At least once in the past 12 months	14%	10%	No significant difference

The impact of gambling on school attendance

The following 3 questions form part of the youth adapted Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition – Multiple Response Juvenile (DSM-IV-MR-J) screen.

A net figure for ‘Done so at least once in the past 12 months’ has been used to the report the impact that gambling can have on young people. This was derived from responses of ‘once or twice’, ‘sometimes’ or ‘often’.

Young people were asked whether gambling had ever led to them missing school in the past 12 months.

A small proportion (2 percent) of those who had spent their own money gambling in the last 12 months, noted that this had led them to missing school. Young people from ethnic minorities (excluding white minorities) were more likely to report missing school because of their gambling than those who are white (5 percent, compared with 1 percent).

Figure 5.4: The impact of gambling on school attendance within the past 12 months

Figure 5.4 information

GC_LEDRISKEDSCHL. In the past 12 months has your gambling ever led to the following?
Base: All 11 to 17 year olds answering who have spent their own money gambling in the last 12 months “Missing school” 2025 (1,056).

The impact of gambling on school attendance within the past 12 months

The impact of gambling on school attendance	2025 (percentage)
Never	98%
Once or twice	1%
Sometimes	0%
Often	1%

Overall, the proportion of young people that had missed school at least once in the past 12 months as a result of gambling has decreased from 5 percent in 2024, to 2 percent in 2025.

Table 5.3: The impact of gambling on school attendance 2024 to 2025

GC_LEDRISKEDSCHL. In the past 12 months has your gambling ever led to the following?
Base: All participants (answering) who have spent their own money on gambling in the last 12 months "Missing school" 2024 (935) 2025 (1,056).

Table 5.3: The impact of gambling on school attendance 2024 to 2025

Missing school	2024 (percentage)	2025 (percentage)	Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2024
My gambling has never led to this	95%	98%	Significant increase
Once or twice	2%	1%	No significant difference
Sometimes	1%	0%	No significant difference
Often	2%	1%	No significant difference
Done so at least once in the past 12 months	5%	2%	Significant decrease

The impact of gambling on relationships

Young people who had gambled with their own money in the last 12 months were asked whether gambling had affected their relationships with family and friends.

Most young people who had used their own money to gamble, said this had never led to telling lies to family or friends (95 percent), or arguments (93 percent). However, around 1 in 20 young people who used their own money to gamble, had told lies to family or friends (5 percent), or got into arguments (7 percent) at least once because of gambling in the past 12 months.

Boys were more likely than girls to report that their gambling in the past 12 months had ever led to telling lies to family members or friends (7 percent, compared with 3 percent). Those from ethnic minorities were also more likely than those who are white to report ever telling lies to family members or friends as a result of gambling in the past 12 months (12 percent, compared with 4 percent). Young people from ethnic minorities (excluding white minorities) were more likely to report ever getting into arguments with friends or family in the past 12 months as a result of their gambling, compared with those to young people who are white (14 percent, compared with 4 percent).

Figure 5.5: Extent to which gambling had led to lying and arguing with family or friends or others within the past 12 months

Figure 5.5 information

GC_LEDLYING GC_LEDRISKEDFAM. In the past 12 months has your gambling ever led to the following?
Base: All 11 to 17 year olds answering who have spent their own money gambling in the last 12 months “Telling lies to family and/or friends or others” 2025 (1,058), “Arguments with family and/or friends” 2025 (1,058).

Extent to which gambling had led to lying and arguing with family or friends or others within the past 12 months

Extent to which gambling led to lying and arguing with family and/or friends or others		2025 (percentage)
Telling lies to family and/or friends or others	Arguments with family and/or friends or others
Never	95%	93%
Once or twice	3%	4%
Sometimes	1%	2%
Often	1%	1%

Overall, the proportion of young people who told lies to family or friends or others in the past 12 months as a result of gambling, has decreased from 9 percent in 2024 to 5 percent in 2025. However, the proportion of young people who say their gambling led to arguments with family, friends or others, has remained consistent, as shown in Table 5.4.

Table 5.4: Extent to which gambling had led to lying and arguing with family or friends or others 2024 to 2025

GC_LEDLYING GC_LEDRISKEDFAM. In the past 12 months has your gambling ever led to the following?
Base: All participants (answering) who have spent their own money on gambling in the last 12 months “Telling lies to family or friends or others “ 2024 (935) 2025 (1,058), “Arguments with family or friends or others” 2024 (939) 2025 (1,058).

Table 5.4: Extent to which gambling had led to lying and arguing with family or friends or others 2024 to 2025

Telling lies to family or friends or others	2024 (percentage)	2025 (percentage)	Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2024
My gambling has never led to this	91%	95%	Significant increase
Once or twice	5%	3%	Significant decrease
Sometimes	1%	1%	No significant difference
Often	3%	1%	Significant decrease
Done so at least once in the past 12 months	9%	5%	Significant decrease
Arguments with family or friends or others	2024 (percentage)	2025 (percentage)	Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2024
My gambling has never led to this	92%	93%	No significant difference
Once or twice	5%	4%	No significant difference
Sometimes	1%	2%	No significant difference
Often	2%	1%	No significant difference
Done so at least once in the past 12 months	8%	7%	No significant difference

Gambling activities and gaming

Summary

This section focuses on young people’s experience and active involvement with gambling activities, games and gaming machines in the last 12 months. It highlights the most popular forms of gaming machines, as well as who young people were with when playing games, and the extent to which they have been played in adult-only areas of venues such as holiday parks and arcades.

The data shows that arcade gaming machines were the most popular form of gaming among young people, with 35 percent having played these machines in the last 12 months. Fruit and slot machines (7 percent) and gambling machines in betting shops (1 percent) were less frequently played.

Among young people who played arcade gaming machines, claw or grab machines were the most popular (73 percent), followed by penny falls or penny pusher machines (68 percent). Around 1 in 10 (9 percent) young people with experience of arcade gaming machines reported having played a machine within an adult-only area. While the majority (57 percent) did so in the company of a parent, carer or guardian, 15 percent were alone.

The 2025 survey also examined young people's experiences with online gambling. Around 1 in 10 (8 percent) reported online gambling in the past 12 months. This includes 3 percent who had placed a bet on a betting website or app and 3 percent who played an online game on a casino website. Overall, 7 percent of young people used their parents' or guardians' accounts to access National Lottery games without permission, and 39 percent did so with permission. Similarly, 7 percent accessed gambling websites or placed online bets without permission, while 31 percent had permission.

In the past 12 months, 9 percent of young people engaged in lottery-style games. National Lottery scratchcards were the most popular format, played by 7 percent. Smaller proportions played the National Lottery draw (3 percent), National Lottery online instant win games (1 percent) or other lotteries (1 percent). The data reveals that the majority of young people who played the National Lottery draw (79 percent) and National Lottery scratchcards (94 percent) were bought the tickets or scratchcards by someone else, highlighting the role of third parties, such as parents, guardians or other family members, in facilitating gambling.

Awareness of in-game purchasing was high; 80 percent of young people were aware that you can buy items with either in-game or real money and of these, around 3 in 5 had bought virtual items with in-game money (64 percent) or their own money (60 percent). Gift cards were the most popular payment method (62 percent) for in-game items.

Overall experience of playing games and gaming machines

This section covers the types of games and gaming machines young people play. As reported in the chapter titled Experience of different categories of gambling activities, the most common type of gambling activity was play on arcade gaming machines. Just over a third (35 percent) of young people played arcade gaming machines in the last 12 months.

Playing arcade machines is more prevalent among 11 to 15 year olds, than older groups (37 percent of 11 to 15 year olds, compared with 26 percent of 16 to 17 year olds). There were also differences by ethnicity, with 4 in 10 (39 percent) young people who are white playing on arcade games compared with a quarter of young people from ethnic minorities (26 percent).

Those young people who had seen family members gamble (45 percent) were also more likely to have played on arcade machines in the past 12 months, compared with those who have not (33 percent). Similarly, young people who define themselves as ‘risk-takers’ were more likely to have played on arcade gaming machines in the last 12 months (39 percent, compared with 32 percent of those who are not ‘risk-takers’). These variations are common to all types of gambling activities within the category of games and gaming machines.

Playing on other types of gaming or gambling machines were less common among 11 to 17 year olds. This is to be expected as these machines are age restricted whereas arcade gaming machines are legal for young people to play. Less than 1 in 10 (7 percent) had played fruit or slot machines in the last 12 months, while 1 percent had played gambling machines in a betting shop. Those aged 15 were more likely than average to report playing fruit or slot machines (9 percent, compared with 7 percent). In addition, those who are white were more likely to play fruit or slot machines, compared with young people from ethnic minorities (7 percent, compared with 5 percent).

One in ten (9 percent) young people played cards for money (for example, with friends or family) within the last 12 months. Boys were more likely than girls to play cards for money (11 percent, compared with 7 percent). Those who are white were also more likely than those from ethnic minorities to report playing cards in the last 12 months (10 percent, compared with 6 percent).

Types of gaming machine played

Young people who played arcade gaming machines or fruit or slot machines were asked what sort of machine they had played. Claw or crane grab machines (for example toy grab) were the most popular, mentioned by 73 percent of young people, followed by penny falls or penny pusher machines (68 percent).

Fruit machine style games where you win tickets to 'buy' prizes (for example soft toys), were used by 1 in 5 (19 percent) young people who play arcade machines, while quiz game machines were used by around 1 in 10 (12 percent), as seen in figure 6.1.

Figure 6.1: Types of gaming machines played within the past 12 months

Figure 6.1 information

GC_FRUITTYPE. Thinking back to the last time you played ‘Arcade gaming machines’, ‘Fruit or slot machines’, or ‘Other gambling machines’, what sort of machine(s) did you play?
Base: All 11 to 17 year olds answering who have played ‘Arcade gaming machines’ or ‘Fruit or slot machines’ 2025 (2,208).
Note: This is a multiple response questions, therefore answers do not sum to 100 percent.

Types of gaming machines played within the past 12 months

Types of gaming machines played within the past 12 months	2025 (percentage) (this is a multiple response question; therefore, answers do not sum to 100 percent)
Claw or crane grab machines	73%
Penny falls or penny pusher machines	68%
Fruit machine style games where you win tickets to ‘buy’ prizes	19%
Quiz game machines – where you win small cash prizes or tickets to ‘buy’ prizes	12%
Fruit machine style games where you win small cash prizes	8%
Other	6%
Do not know	8%

Variations in the types of gaming machines played are notable by gender: girls were more likely than boys to play claw or crane grab machines (79 percent, compared with 66 percent) and fruit machine style games machines (21 percent, compared with 16 percent). In contrast, boys were more likely to play fruit machine style games where you win small cash prizes (9 percent, compared with 6 percent of girls).

Gaming machines play was broadly consistent by age apart from younger groups (11 to 13 year olds) who were more likely to have played claw or crane grab machines, than those aged 14 to 17 (75 percent, compared with 70 percent).

Young people from white ethnic groups were more likely to play penny falls or penny pusher machines, compared with those from ethnic minorities (75 percent and 48 percent, respectively). Play on penny falls, or penny pusher machines also differs per country, with those who live in Wales (81 percent) more likely to play than those in England (68 percent) and Scotland (65 percent).

Slightly more young people are playing claw and crane grab machines now than in 2024. The percentage has gone up from 70 percent to 73 percent. On the other hand, fewer young people are playing fruit machines that offer small cash prizes. The percentage for those games has dropped from 10 percent to 8 percent.

Table 6.1: Types of gaming machines played 2024 to 2025

GC_FRUITTYPE. Thinking back to the last time you played on arcade gaming machines, fruit or slot machines, or other gambling machines, what sort of machine(s) did you play?
Base: All participants (answering) who have played arcade gaming machines or fruit or slot machines 2024 (1,889), 2025 (2,208).

Table 6.1: Types of gaming machines played 2024 to 2025

Types of gaming machines played	2024 (percentage)	2025 (percentage)	Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2024
Claw or crane grab machines (for example toy grab)	70%	73%	Significant increase
Penny falls or penny pusher machines (for example 2p machine)	70%	68%	No significant difference
Fruit machine style games where you win tickets to ‘buy’ prizes (for example soft toys)	19%	19%	No significant difference
Quiz game machines where you win small cash prizes or tickets to ‘buy’ prizes (for example soft toys)	13%	12%	No significant difference
Fruit machine style games where you win small cash prizes	10%	8%	Significant decrease
Other	1%	6%	Significant increase
Do not know	8%	8%	No significant difference

Playing arcade machines in adults-only areas

Young people who had played arcade gaming machines were asked if they had ever done so in an adult-only area, for example an adult (18 years old and above) only section of an amusement arcade, bowling alley, holiday park or pub.

Around 1 in 10 young people (9 percent) with experience of arcade gaming machines reported having played a machine within an adult-only area, compared with 8 in 10 who had not (83 percent), and a further 8 percent who did not know.

Boys were more likely than girls to report having played arcade gaming machines within an adult-only area (12 percent, compared with 6 percent). Those who see family members gamble are also more likely to play arcade machines within adult-only areas compared with those that do not (14 percent, compared with 6 percent).

The proportion of young people with experience of arcade gaming machines play within an adult-only area has remained constant since 2024. See Table 6.2 for more information.

Table 6.2: Playing arcade machines in an adults-only area 2024 to 2025

GC_FRUITWHERE. As far as you know, have you ever played on any of these machines in an adults-only area or somewhere with a sign or sticker saying 18 years old and above? For example, an adult only section of an amusement arcade or holiday park.
Base: All participants (answering) who have played arcade gaming machines or fruit or slot machines and know machine played 2024 (1, 687), 2025 (1,985).

Table 6.2: Playing arcade machines in an adults-only area 2024 to 2025

Playing arcade gaming machines in an adults-only area	2024 (percentage)	2025 (percentage)	Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2024
Yes	10%	9%	No significant difference
No	80%	83%	Significant increase
Do not know	10%	8%	Significant decrease

Who young people were with in an adult-only area

A new question was included in 2025 to explore who young people are with when they play in an adult-only section of an amusement arcade.

While the majority (57 percent) of young people who gambled within adult-only areas, did so in the company of a parent, carer or guardian, 15 percent were alone. One in five (18 percent) were with a friend aged 17 or younger, 12 percent were with a sibling aged 17 or younger and 10 percent were with an older sibling, aged 18 or older, as shown in Figure 6.2.

Figure 6.2: Who young people were with when they experienced gambling activities in an adult-only area within the past 12 months

Figure 6.2 information

GC_FRUITWHO. And in this adult (18 years old and above) only section, who were you with?
Base: All 11 to 17 year olds answering who have ever played in an adults-only area 2025 (167).
Note: This is a multiple response questions, therefore answers do not sum to 100 percent.

Who young people were with when they experienced gambling activities in an adult-only area within the past 12 months

Who young people were with when they experienced gambling activities in an adult-only area within the past 12 months	2025 (percentage) (this is a multiple response question; therefore, answers do not sum to 100 percent)
Parent(s), carer(s) or guardian(s)	57%
Friend(s) aged 17 or younger	18%
I was alone	15%
Brother(s) or sister(s) aged 17 or younger	12%
Brother(s) or sister(s) aged 18 or older	10%
Friend(s) aged 18 or older	5%
Others	2%
Do not know	6%

Online gambling

Young people’s participation in online gambling

A total of 8 percent of young people reported spending their own money on online gambling in the past 12 months. This includes 3 percent who had placed a bet on a betting website or app and 3 percent who played an online game on a casino website. Fewer young people had played bingo online (2 percent), placed a bet on esports online (2 percent), while 1 percent had played National Lottery instant win games online.

Young people’s participation in online gambling was largely consistent by sub-group. However, those from white ethnic groups were more likely to gamble online, compared with young people from ethnic minority backgrounds (9 percent, compared with 6 percent).

The type of betting activities participated in online differed according to gender. Boys were more likely than girls to place a bet on esports (3 percent, compared with 1 percent), place a bet on betting website or app (4 percent, compared with 2 percent), and play online games on a casino website (4 percent, compared with 1 percent) than girls. However, girls were more likely to play bingo online than boys (3 percent, compared with 1 percent).

Online gambling using parent’s or guardian’s accounts

To understand the context in which young people experience online gambling, all young people were asked if they had ever used their parent’s or guardian’s accounts to gamble online, with or without their permission. Questions in this section were amended in 2025 to ensure that the questions are well understood by young people completing the survey. As such the findings are not comparable with previous datasets.

Overall, 7 percent of young people had used their parent’s or guardian’s accounts to play National Lottery games online without their permission, while 4 in 10 (39 percent) had their permission. Those that had seen family members gamble, were more likely to not seek permission from their parents or guardians to play the National Lottery draw or online win games (12 percent, compared with 2 percent).

A further 7 percent of young people had used their parent’s or guardian’s accounts to play on gambling websites or place bets online without their permission, while 3 in 10 (31 percent) had their permission. Boys were more likely than girls to play without their parents or guardian’s permission when using their accounts to play on gambling websites or place bets online (9 percent, compared with 2 percent).

Table 6.3: Online gambling using parent’s or guardian’s accounts

GC_PLAYONLINE1. I have used my parent’s and/or guardian’s account to play National Lottery games online.
Base: All participants (answering) who have played National Lottery games online 2025 (198).
GC_PLAYONLINE2. I have used my parents' and/or guardians' account to play on gambling websites or to place bets online.
Base: All participants (answering) who have played bingo online, esports, betting websites or casino games online 2025 (421).

Table 6.3: Online gambling using parent’s or guardian’s accounts

Used parent’s or guardian’s account to play National Lottery games online	2025 (percentage)
With their permission	39%
Without their permission	7%
None of these are true about me	57%
Used parent’s or guardian’s account to play on gambling websites or to place bets online	2025 (percentage)
With their permission	31%
Without their permission	7%
None of these are true about me	64%

National Lottery play

Active involvement with lotteries and lottery style games

In the past 12 months, 9 percent of young people engaged in lottery-style games at least once. National Lottery Scratchcards were the most popular, with a participation rate of 7 percent. In contrast, smaller proportions played the National Lottery draw (3 percent), National Lottery online instant win games (1 percent) or other lotteries (1 percent).

Buying a National Lottery draw ticket or scratchcard

All young people who have played the National Lottery, either through a physical ticket or online, or scratchcard, were then asked how they purchased the ticket the last time they played.

Four in five (79 percent) young people that played the National Lottery draw, reported that someone else purchased the ticket for them. In comparison, 14 percent had purchased the ticket themselves in a shop.

Among those young people who played National Lottery Scratchcards, 94 percent reported that someone else had purchased the scratchcard for them, compared with 4 percent who purchased it themselves in a shop.

Overall, the proportion of young people who reported that someone else made the purchase of a National Lottery draw game or scratchcard has increased since 2024, as shown in Table 6.4.

Figure 6.3: Buying a National Lottery draw ticket or scratchcard within the past 12 months

Figure 6.3 information

GC_HANDED. Thinking about the last time you played National Lottery draw and/or Scratchcard which statement best describes how you purchased and paid for the item?
GC_HANDED2. Thinking about the last time you played National Lottery Scratchcards (not free Scratchcards) which statement best describes how you purchased and paid for the scratchcard?
Base: All 11 to 17 year olds answering who have played National Lottery 2025 (121). All 11 to 17 year olds answering who have played National Lottery Scratchcards 2025 (358).

Buying a National Lottery draw ticket or scratchcard within the past 12 months

Buying a National Lottery draw ticket or scratchcard within the past 12 months		2025 (percentage)
National Lottery draw	National Lottery scratchcards
Someone else purchased the ticket for me in a shop	79%	94%
I purchased the ticket by myself in a shop	14%	4%
The ticket was not purchased in a shop	7%	3%

Table 6.4: Buying a National Lottery draw ticket or scratchcard 2024 to 2025

GC_HANDED1. Thinking about the last time you played National Lottery draw for example Lotto, EuroMillions or Set for Life, either with a physical ticket or playing online which statement best describes how you purchased and paid for the ticket?
GC_HANDED2. Thinking about the last time you played National Lottery Scratchcards (not free Scratchcards) which statement best describes how you purchased and paid for the scratchcard?
Base: All participants (answering) who have played National Lottery 2024 (117) 2025 (121).
Base: All participants (answering) who have played National Lottery Scratchcards 2024 (300), 2025 (358).

Table 6.4: Buying a National Lottery draw ticket or scratchcard 2024 to 2025

How National Lottery draw game tickets were purchased	2024 (percentage)	2025 (percentage)	Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2024
Someone else purchased the ticket for me, using my money	65%	79%	Significant increase
I purchased the ticket by myself in a shop	20%	14%	No significant difference
It was not purchased in a shop	14%	7%	No significant difference
How National Lottery scratchcards were purchased	2024 (percentage)	2025 (percentage)	Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2024
Someone else purchased the scratchcard for me, using my money	89%	94%	Significant increase
I purchased the scratchcard by myself in a shop	7%	4%	No significant difference
It was not purchased in a shop	3%	3%	No significant difference

Gaming

Questions on the awareness and use of in-game items were amended in 2025 to update the names of the games provided as examples and to ensure that the questions are well understood by young people completing the survey. As such the findings are not comparable with previous datasets.

Awareness of paying for in-game items

People who play video games (such as Roblox, Fortnite, FIFA or EA Sports FC, Call of Duty, GTA, Minecraft or Block Blast) can collect in-game items (such as skins, clothes, weapons, accessories, players). Young people who participated in the survey were shown a list of in-games items and asked whether they were aware of the different types.

Young people were most likely to have heard of virtual in-game items that can be bought with in-game money without spending real money and virtual in-game items that can be bought with their own money (80 percent in both instances).

Around three-quarters of young people were aware that you can open virtual surprise boxes with in-game money (77 percent) and open virtual surprise boxes with their own money (73 percent). Less well known were paying to play casino games in an in-game casino (59 percent) and betting with in-game items on websites outside of the game you are playing (50 percent), as shown in Figure 6.4.

Figure 6.4: Awareness among young people regarding paying for in-game items

Figure 6.4 information

INGAMEAWARE: Which, if any, of these were you aware of before today?
Base per statement 2025: Buying virtual items in games with your own money (3,490), Buying virtual items with in-game money without spending your own money (3,492), Opening virtual surprise boxes with in-game money (3,491), Opening virtual surprise boxes with your own money or your parents’ and/or carers’ money (3,478), Paying to play casino games in an in-game casino (3,474), Betting with in-came items on websites outside of the game you are playing (3,466).

Awareness among young people regarding paying for in-game items

Awareness among young people regarding paying for in-game items		2025 (percentage) (This shows responses to 2 separate questions and so totals will not add up to 100 percent)
Aware	Not aware		Do not know
Buying virtual items in games with your own money	80%		7%	13%
Buying virtual items with in-game money without spending your own money	80%	7%	13%
Opening virtual surprise boxes with in-game money	77%	9%	14%
Opening virtual surprise boxes with your own money or your parents’ and/or carers’ money	73%	12%	15%
Paying to play casino games in an in-game casino	59%	20%	20%
Betting with in-came items on websites outside of the game you are playing	50%	27%	24%

Awareness of in-game items was consistently higher among boys (86 percent, compared with 80 percent of girls), older groups (85 percent of 14 to 17 year olds, compared with 80 percent of 11 to 13 year olds), those who feel informed about gambling (89 percent, compared with 66 percent who are not) and young people who have seen family members gamble (90 percent, compared with 83 percent who have not).

Young people who use virtual items

Young people who were aware of in-game items were then asked which they have personally bought, opened, paid to play with or bet with.

The most common activity was buying virtual items with in-game money without spending any real money (64 percent), followed by buying virtual items in games with your own money (for example pocket money, gift cards) or your parent or carer’s money (60 percent) and opening virtual surprise boxes with in-game money (55 percent). The least common activity was to pay to play casino games in an in-game casino (9 percent) and bet with in-game items on websites outside of the game you are playing (6 percent). It should be noted that young people rarely bet with in-game items.

There were consistent differences across key sub-groups with boys, self-defined risk-takers, and those who see their families gamble more likely to use virtual items, as were young people that were actively involved in gambling in the last 12 months (13 percent had done none of these activities, compared with 18 percent overall).

How young people buy virtual items

Overall, the most popular method used by young people to buy virtual items in-game was with a gift card (62 percent) followed by using money from their own bank account (56 percent) and virtual currency bought with money (55 percent). The most popular way of buying virtual surprise boxes was using money from their own bank account (60 percent), followed by virtual money bought by money (54 percent) and virtual currency obtained without spending any money (52 percent).

The modes of payment used to buy virtual items vary by age, with older groups (14 to 17 year olds) most likely to buy virtual items using money from their own bank account (62 percent), whereas younger groups (11 to 13 year olds) pay for items using a gift card (63 percent).

Perspectives on gambling: Awareness, attitudes and behaviours

Summary

This section examines young people's attitudes towards gambling, exploring whether they feel informed about gambling, and the risks associated with gambling, self-identification as risk-takers, and the reasons some choose not to engage in gambling.

Most young people (83 percent) feel well-informed about the risks associated with gambling and the majority (68 percent) report that the potential problems of gambling have been discussed with them.

The 2 most common reasons why young people do not gamble are a lack of interest, mentioned by 40 percent and because it is illegal for someone of their age, mentioned by 36 percent.

For the first time, the survey explored attitudes towards risk-taking among young people. Three in ten (31 percent) consider themselves risk-takers, with boys and older teens aged 14 to 17 years old more likely to identify with this description. Notably, 40 percent of those spending their own money on gambling see themselves as risk-takers, significantly higher than the overall average. Interestingly, young people are less inclined to state they enjoy the thrill of risk-taking (29 percent).

Feeling informed about gambling

Young people were asked whether they agreed or disagreed with 2 statements to understand the extent to which they feel informed about the risks of gambling and to explore whether anyone has ever spoken to them about the potential problems gambling to lead to.

Most young people (83 percent) agreed that they felt well informed about the risks of gambling, with half (51 percent) strongly agreeing with the statement.

Older young people, aged 15 (87 percent) and 16 (91 percent) were more likely to feel informed than young people overall (83 percent). There was also a difference regionally, as young people in Scotland were more likely than those in England and Wales to agree that they felt well informed about the risks of gambling (87 percent, compared with 83 percent in England and 80 percent in Wales).

Table 7.1: Feeling informed about the risks of gambling within past 12 months

GC_ATTINF. Thinking about gambling for money, how strongly do you agree or disagree with the statement below?
Base: All participants (answering) “I feel well informed about the risks of gambling” 2025 (3,552).

Table 7.1: Feeling informed about the risks of gambling within past 12 months

I feel well informed about the risks of gambling	2025 (percentage)
Strongly agree	51%
Agree	32%
Neither agree nor disagree	5%
Disagree	3%
Strongly disagree	1%
Do not know	8%

Speaking to someone about gambling problems

Just over two-thirds (68 percent) of young people agreed that someone had spoken to them about the potential problems that gambling can lead to, 36 percent of whom strongly agreed. A much smaller proportion said they strongly disagree, just 3 percent.

Boys were more likely than girls to have spoken to someone about the potential problems that gambling can lead to (71 percent, compared with 65 percent), as were 16 year olds (76 percent, compared with 68 percent, overall).

Table 7.2: Speaking to someone about gambling within past 12 months

GC_ATTSPOKEN. Thinking about gambling for money, how strongly do you agree or disagree with the statement?
Base: All participants (answering) “People have spoken to me about the potential problems that gambling can lead to” 2025 (3,539).

Table 7.2: Speaking to someone about gambling within past 12 months

People have spoken to me about the potential problems that gambling can lead to	2025 (percentage)
Strongly agree	36%
Agree	32%
Neither agree nor disagree	10%
Disagree	8%
Strongly disagree	3%
Do not know	12%

Feeling informed about gambling 2024 to 2025

The proportion of young people who agreed that they feel informed about the risks of gambling and have spoken to someone about the potential problems that gambling can lead to are consistent year on year.

Table 7:3 Feeling informed about gambling 2024 to 2025

GC_ATTINF and GC_ATTSPOKEN. Thinking about gambling for money, how strongly do you agree or disagree with the statements below?
Base: All participants (answering) “I feel well informed about the risks of gambling” 2024 (3,203) 2025 (3,552).
Base: All participants (answering) “People have spoken to me about the potential problems that gambling can lead to” 2024 (3,199) 2025 (3,539).

Table 7:3 Feeling informed about gambling 2024 to 2025

I feel well informed about the risks of gambling	2024 (percentage)	2025 (percentage)	Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2024
Strongly agree	51%	51%	No significant difference
Agree	30%	32%	No significant difference
Neither agree or disagree	6%	5%	No significant difference
Disagree	9%	3%	Significant decrease
Strongly disagree	1%	1%	No significant difference
Do not know	4%	8%	Significant increase
Net agree	82%	83%	No significant difference
People have spoken to me about the potential problems that gambling can lead to	2024 (percentage)	2025 (percentage)	Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2024
Strongly agree	36%	36%	No significant difference
Agree	30%	32%	No significant difference
Neither agree or disagree	12%	10%	Significant decrease
Disagree	9%	8%	No significant difference
Strongly disagree	3%	3%	No significant difference
Do not know	11%	12%	No significant difference
Net agree	66%	68%	No significant difference

Reasons why young people do not gamble

Young people who had never spent their own money on gambling (including those who had never participated in any gambling activities) were asked why.

The 2 most common reasons are a lack of interest, mentioned by 40 percent of young people who do not gamble and because it is illegal for someone of their age, mentioned by 36 percent. A quarter (24 percent) said they did not gamble because their parents would not want them to or allow them to.

Another 2 key reasons for why young people do not gamble is the desire to avoid playing with real money and preference to play free games (22 percent), and general disagreement with gambling, believing it is not right (21 percent).

Figure 7.1 provides a more detailed look at the reasons young people select for not gambling.

Figure 7.1: Reasons for not gambling within the past 12 months

Figure 7.1 information

GC_NEVER: You said that you have never gambled or never spent your own money on gambling. Why is that?
Base: All participants (answering) who have never spent their own money on gambling 2025 (2,000).
Note: This is a multiple response questions, therefore answers do not sum to 100 percent.

Reasons for not gambling within the past 12 months

Reasons for not gambling	2025 (percentage) (multiple response question, therefore, answers do not sum to 100 percent)
It is not something I am interested in	40%
It is illegal or I am too young to do this	36%
My parents would not want to me or allow me to	24%
I do not want to play with real money or I would rather play free games	22%
I do not agree with gambling or it is not right	21%
Because it might lead to future problems	19%
It is against my religion	18%
Because I will lose more than I will win	17%
Because I am not likely to win money	15%
I do not know enough about these gambling games	10%
Other	5%
Do not know	11%

Girls were more likely to say that gambling is not something they are interested in as a reason for not gambling than boys (47 percent, compared with 35 percent). On the other hand, boys are more likely to say they do not gamble because they will lose more than they win (19 percent, compared with 15 percent).

By age, older groups (aged 14 to 17 years old) were more likely to say gambling is not something they are interested in (45 percent, compared with 40 percent, overall), or that it is against their religion (22 percent, compared with 18 percent. In contrast, those aged 11 to 13 years old are more likely to say that their parents would not want or allow them to gamble (27 percent, compared with 24 percent, overall), as well as because it is illegal or too young to do this (39 percent, compared with 36 percent, overall).

The reasons for not gambling differ depending on whether young people have seen their family member’s gamble. Those who see family members gamble give their reasons in monetary terms, such as winning and losing money. They are more likely to say they do not gamble because they are not likely to win money (20 percent, compared with 15 percent) or because they will lose more than they win (21 percent, compared with 15 percent). This compares to those who do not see family members gamble, who attribute this to a general disinterest. This group are more likely to mention that it is not something they are interested in (44 percent), they believe it might lead to problems (21 percent), do not agree with it (25 percent), and is against their religion (25 percent).

Since the survey was conducted in 2024, the proportion of young people mentioning that gambling is not something they are interested in has increased from 36 percent in 2024 to 40 percent in 2025. In addition, the proportion of young people mentioning gambling being against their religion as a reason not to gamble increased from 15 percent in 2024, to 18 percent in 2025.

Table 7.4: Reasons for not gambling 2024 to 2025

GC_NEVER: You said that you have never gambled or never spent your own money on gambling. Why is that?
Base : All participants (answering) who have never spent their own money on gambling 2024 (2,075) 2025 (2,000).

Table 7.4: Reasons for not gambling 2024 to 2025

Reasons for not gambling	2024 (percentage)	2025 (percentage)	Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2024
It is not something I am interested in	36%	40%	Significant increase
It is illegal or I am too young to do this	36%	36%	No significant difference
I do not want to play with real money or I would rather play free games	23%	22%	No significant difference
My parents would not want to me or allow me to	22%	24%	No significant difference
I do not agree with gambling or it is not right	20%	21%	No significant difference
Because it might lead to future problems	19%	19%	No significant difference
Because I will lose more than I will win	17%	17%	No significant difference
Because I am not likely to win money	16%	15%	No significant difference
It is against my religion	15%	18%	Significant increase
I do not know enough about these gambling games	10%	10%	No significant difference
Other	1%	5%	Significant increase
Do not know	9%	11%	No significant increase

Young people who consider themselves risk-takers

In 2025, 2 new questions were introduced to explore young people’s attitudes to risk-taking in general. For each question young people were asked to consider the extent to which they agreed or disagreed that they were a risk-taker and whether they liked the feeling that comes with taking risks.

Three in ten (31 percent) young people agreed that they consider themselves to be a risk-taker, while a quarter disagreed (25 percent) and over a third (35 percent) are unsure either way.

Boys were more likely than girls to say they are a risk-taker (39 percent, compared with 22 percent). Those aged 14 to 17 years old were also more likely to say they were risk-takers than those aged 11 to 13 years old (35 percent, compared with 27 percent).

The survey findings indicate that 2 in 5 (40 percent) young people who spent their own money on gambling in the last 12 months consider themselves a risk-taker, compared with 31 percent overall. Furthermore, young people who have scored either 2 to 3 or 4 or more on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition - Multiple Response Juvenile (DSM-IV-MR-J) screen were more likely to agree that they consider themselves to be a risk-taker than young people overall (66 percent and 76 percent, respectively, compared with 31 percent, overall).

Young people are less likely to state that they enjoy the feeling that comes with taking risks. While 3 in 10 (29 percent) agreed with the statement ‘I like the feeling that comes with taking risks’, 34 percent disagreed. Over a quarter (27 percent) are unsure either way.

Boys were more likely to agree that they enjoyed the feeling of taking risks than girls (35 percent, compared with 21 percent). Young people aged 14 to 17 years old were more likely to agree that they enjoy the feeling of taking risks than those aged 11 to 13 years old (33 percent, compared with 23 percent).

The findings also show that young people who scored either 2 or 3 or 4 or more on the DSM-IV-MR-J screen were more likely to agree they like the feeling that comes with taking risks than young people overall (63 percent, and 73 percent, compared with 29 percent, overall).

Figure 7.2: Those who consider themselves a risk-taker and like the feeling that comes with taking risks within the past 12 months

Figure 7.2 information

GC_RISK: How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements? ‘I consider myself a risk-taker.’ ‘I like the feeling that comes with taking risks.’
Base: All participants answering “I consider myself a risk-taker” 2025 (3,564), “I like the feeling that comes with taking risks” 2025 (3,564).

Those who consider themselves a risk-taker and like the feeling that comes with taking risks within the past 12 months

Those who consider themselves a risk-taker and like the feeling that comes with taking risks within the past 12 months		2025 (percentage)
I consider myself a risk taker	I like the feeling that comes with taking risks
Strongly agree	11%	11%
Agree	20%	18%
Neither agree or disagree	35%	27%
Disagree	9%	10%
Strongly disagree	16%	21%
Do not know	8%	13%

Appendices

The DSM-IV-MR-J problem gambler screen

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition - Multiple Response Juvenile (DSM-IV-MR-J) screen is applied to assess whether respondents who gamble are defined as experiencing ‘problems’ with their gambling. In the adolescent gambling field, this is one of the most widely used instruments to assess experience of ‘problem’ gambling among this age group. For more information see: Fisher, S (2000). Developing the DSM-IV Criteria to Identify Adolescent Problem Gambling in Non-Clinical Populations, Journal of Gambling Studies Volume 16 No. 2/3.

A two-step eligibility criteria were used in applying the DSM-IV-MR-J screen. Firstly, respondents had to indicate that they had spent their own money on at least one gambling activity on at least one occasion in the last 12 months to answer all of 9 components of the problem gambling screener. A full list of gambling activities can be found in Table A.1. Secondly, young people who answered ‘prefer not to say’ throughout the gambling screen were excluded.

In total, 1,144 individuals qualified for the DSM-IV-MR-J screen.

Points were then allocated to each respondent based on the answers they gave to the 9 components (or questions) which are used to define typologies of young people who gamble, as set out in Table A.1.

The screen questions use frequency scales of ‘Never’, ‘Once or twice’, ‘Sometimes’ or ‘Often’. Each respondent was allocated a point for each of the 9 criteria that they met. Scores are grouped into the following categories:

DSM-IV-MR-J score 0 or 1: Representing a young person who does not experience any ‘problems’ with their gambling.

DSM-IV-MR-J score 2 or 3: Representing a young person who is ‘at-risk’.

DSM-IV-MR-J score 4 or more: Representing a young person experiencing ‘problems’ with their gambling.

Table A.1 indicates how the questions asked in 2025 mapped onto the DSM-IV-MR-J screen components and the percentage of young people who gave the required answers to each question when the scoring system was applied to the data.

Table A.1: Gambling criteria from the DSM-IV-MR-J screen

Table A.1: Gambling criteria from the DSM-IV-MR-J screen

2025 question name	DSM-IV criteria	Question wording: ‘In the past 12 months…’	If any of the following answer criteria are ticked, that qualifies as 1 point	Young people scoring
				Percentage	Number of participants
GC_PREOCC	Pre-occupation	How often have you found yourself thinking about gambling or planning to gamble	‘Often’	2%	(66)
GC_ESCAPE	Escape	How often have you gambled to help you escape from problems or when you are feeling bad	‘Sometimes’ or ‘often’	2%	(67)
GC_WITHD	Withdrawal	Have you felt bad or fed up when trying to cut down on gambling	‘Sometimes’ or ‘often’	1%	(32)
GC_TOLERNCE	Tolerance	Have you needed to gamble with more and more money to get the amount of excitement you want	‘Sometimes’ or ‘often’	2%	(64)
GC_LOSSCON	Loss of control	Have you ever spent much more than you planned to on gambling	‘Sometimes’ or ‘often’	2%	(66)
GC_ILLEGAL	Taken money	Have you ever taken money from any of the following without permission to spend on gambling: dinner money or fare money, money from family, money from things you’ve sold, money from outside the family, somewhere else	If any one or more of these options are ticked, then qualifies for one point in total	2%	(81)
GC_LEDRISKEDFAM and GC_LEDRISKEDSCHL	Risked relationships	Has your gambling ever led to the following: a) arguments with family or friends or others, b) missing school	If any of the following are ticked, then qualifies for one point in total: ‘once or twice’, ‘sometimes’ or ‘often’	2% 1%	(68) (23)
GC_LEDLYING	Lying	Has your gambling ever led to telling lies to family or friends or others	‘Once or twice’ ‘sometimes’ or ‘often’	2%	(56)
GC_CHASING	Chasing	After losing money by gambling, have you returned another day to try to win back the money you lost	‘More than half the time’ or ‘every time’	1%	(46)

All percentages shown are based on the full sample of 3,666 11 to 17 year olds. Percentages and numbers shown in the table above are based on weighted data.

Research design

Trend data

Since 2011, the Gambling Commission and Ipsos have conducted an annual survey into the gambling behaviours of young people aged 11 to 16 years old in Great Britain. In 2023, we extended this to include 17 year olds. This report delivers the results from the 2025 survey, which explores young people’s current rates of participation in gambling.

Sampling

The Young People Omnibus (YPO) is an annual survey of young people attending secondary schools in England, Wales and Scotland. The survey covers pupils in curriculum years 7 to 12 (S1 to S6 in Scotland).

The survey invites pupils to take part who are attending academies (public funded schools held accountable through a legally binding ‘funding agreement’ in England) and maintained (overseen, or ‘maintained’ by the Local Authority) secondary and middle-deemed secondary schools in England, Wales and Scotland. From 2023 the survey also invited independent schools (schools who charge fees to attend instead of being funded by the government and do not have to follow the national curriculum) to participate.

To enable this a 3 stage sampling process was used:

1. In England and Wales, a sample of schools was selected from Department for Education’s ‘Get Information About Schools (opens in new tab)’ database (a comprehensive listing of secondary schools in England and Wales). Special schools were excluded. The sample frame was stratified by Government Office Region (GOR), and, within each stratum, schools were selected proportional to the number of pupils attending the school. In England and Wales, a sample of 450 middle deemed schools were selected to participate in the survey. In Scotland, a sample of 37 schools were selected from the Scottish Government’s school contacts database. The sample was stratified by local authority and school size. Therefore, in total, 487 schools were selected to participate in the survey.
2. Three curriculum year groups (between Year 7 and Year 12 for England and Wales and between S1 and S6 in Scotland) were selected at random for each school.
3. Schools were also given the opportunity to provide additional classes and year groups. All members of the randomly selected class group were selected to fill out the self-completion survey.

Recruiting schools

To maintain comparability, the sampling of schools has remained consistent year on year. However, in 2023 Year 12 pupils and independent schools were included for the first time. The way in which schools are recruited has evolved to respond to technological developments and most recently in respect to the demands that were placed on schools during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Advance packs

All schools in the main sample for England and Wales received an invitation pack across November and December 2024. The pack included a letter informing them about the survey, a leaflet containing more information on how the data is used and contact details for the Ipsos Young People Omnibus team. The packs are addressed to a named head teacher.

In Scotland, the first step was to send a letter to local authorities which contain schools in the sample frame. Local authorities were informed about the survey and given the option to opt out of the research, on behalf of schools in their area. In total 21 Scottish local authorities were contacted, and 2 opted out of the survey. Selected schools in the remaining 19 local authorities were then sent the invitation letter and information sheet.

Contacting schools

In December 2024, the Ipsos Young People Omnibus research team conducted a briefing session with our school recruitment team to provide information about the survey content, to update them of any changes, and share ideas and tips for encouraging participation.

Members of the school recruitment team were each allocated a batch of schools to contact, which contained a mix of regions (to avoid bias). The sample included contact details for the school. Where possible, recruiters sought to enrich this by looking at the school website to try and obtain a named contact or direct email address.

Recruiters made contact with all schools in their sample to:

1. gain headteacher consent for the school to participate
2. collect contact details for a liaison person within the school (usually the teacher for a selected class)
3. select one mixed ability class from each nominated curriculum year group for the school
4. arrange a time and date when each class will take part in the online survey.

Recruiters managed this process by using an electronic booking system, which the research team also access to monitor the response rates.

Table A.2 provides details of the number of telephone calls that recruiters made to individual schools:

Table A.2: Number of telephone calls for purposes of school recruitment

Table A.2: Number of telephone calls for purposes of school recruitment.

Number of calls made	Number of schools
Under 5	116
5 to 10	237
Over 10	110

Of the schools who did refuse to take part, the most common reason given was that they were too busy to participate in the survey.

Incentives have become an essential addition to protecting the response rates to the survey. They also help encourage schools to choose to participate in the Young People Omnibus over other surveys, which offer cash incentives. In 2025, all schools participating in the Young People Omnibus with 2 or 3 classes were offered a £200 cash incentive, schools who offered one class were offered an £100 incentive. Schools were also given a teaching pack, containing data and example exercises to use in their classes and a lesson plan and resources developed by the PSHE Association.

Once a school agreed to participate, a confirmation email was sent, providing schools with their individual online survey link, a template for letters to parents and further information to administer the survey.

Fieldwork for the study was conducted from 13 January to 13 June 2025.

Response rate

In total, from a sample frame of 487 schools in England, Scotland and Wales, 62 took part in the 2025 survey, giving a school response rate of 14 percent.

Overall, 3,666 pupils aged 11 to 17 years old from the 62 schools completed the Commission section of the survey online, representing an average of 59 pupils per school.

Weighting

Data is weighted by gender, age and region. The weights were derived from data supplied by the following sources:

• for England, the Department for Education: ‘Schools pupils and their characteristics 2025 – national tables’ (opens in new tab).
• for Wales, StatsWales (opens in new tab).
• for Scotland, Scottish Government’s school contacts database (opens in new tab).

Statistical reliability

The respondents to the questionnaire are only samples of the total population, so we cannot be certain that the figures obtained are exactly those we would have if everybody had been interviewed (the true values). We can, however, predict the variation between the sample results and the true values from knowledge of the size of the samples on which the results are based and the number of times that a particular answer is given. The confidence with which we can make this prediction is usually chosen to be 95 percent - that is, the chances are 95 in 100 that the true value will fall within a specified range. Table A.3 illustrates the predicted ranges for different sample sizes and percentage results at the 95 percent confidence interval.

Table A.3: Approximate sampling tolerances by sample size

Table A.3: Approximate sampling tolerances by sample size.

Size of sample on which survey results is based	Approximate sampling tolerances applicable to percentages at or near these levels
	10 or 90 percent	30 or 70 percent	50 percent
	Plus or minus	Plus or minus	Plus or minus
100 interviews	6	9	10
500 interviews	3	4	4
1,000 interviews	2	3	3
3,666 interviews (Young People Omnibus Commission respondents, 2025)	1	2	2

For example, with a sample of 3,666 where 30 percent give a particular answer, the chances are 95 in 100 that the 'true' value (which would have been obtained if the whole population had been interviewed) will fall within the range of plus or minus 2 percentage points from the sample result.

Strictly speaking, the tolerances shown here apply only to pure random samples, although they offer an approximation for the complex design used by the current study.

When results are compared between separate groups within a sample, different results may be obtained. The difference may be 'real', or it may occur by chance (because not everyone in the population has been interviewed). To test if the difference is a real one - such as if it is 'statistically significant', we again must know the size of the samples, the percentage giving a certain answer and the degree of confidence chosen. If we assume the '95 percent confidence interval', the differences between the 2 sample results must be greater than the values given in the Table A.4.

Table A.4: Differences required for significance

Table A.4: Differences required for significance.

Size of sample compared	Differences required for significance at or near these percentage levels
	10 or 90 percent	30 or 70 percent	50 percent
	Plus or minus	Plus or minus	Plus or minus
100 and 100	8	13	14
250 and 100	7	11	12
500 and 250	5	7	8
500 and 500	4	6	6
1,000 and 500	3	5	5
1,000 and 1,000	3	4	4
1,500 and 1,000	2	4	4

Sample profile

Profile of young people

Table A.5 outlines the details of the sample profile for the 2025 study; covering all 11 to 17-year-olds who participated in the Young People Omnibus.

Table A.5 - Sample profile - Commission section 2025

Table A.5: Sample profile 2025

Sample group	Unweighted (number)	Unweighted (percentage)	Weighted (percentage)
Total	3,666	100%	100%
Gender of pupils
Male	1,856	51%	49%
Female	1,697	46%	48%
Non-binary	35	1%	1%
My gender is not listed	28	1%	1%
Prefer not to say	50	1%	1%
Age of pupils
11	255	7%	6%
12	761	21%	19%
13	667	18%	19%
14	803	22%	19%
15	659	18%	20%
16	345	9%	13%
17	176	5%	4%
Year of pupils1
7	836	23%	19%
8	608	17%	19%
9	801	22%	19%
10	776	21%	18%
11	344	9%	18%
12	301	8%	8%
Ethnic origin
White	2,714	74%	68%
Asian or Asian British	436	12%	15%
Black or Black British	196	5%	6%
Mixed or Other	174	5%	6%
Region
London	236	6%	13%
South East	502	14%	15%
South West	363	10%	8%
North East	172	5%	4%
North West	537	15%	12%
East of England	152	4%	10%
East Midlands	382	10%	8%
West Midlands	296	8%	10%
Yorkshire and the Humber	184	5%	8%
Scotland	391	11%	8%
Wales	451	12%	5%

Profile of schools

In this section we analyse how the sample of participating schools compares with the population of schools that are eligible for YPO (such as maintained secondary schools in England, Wales and Scotland). The information for England and Wales is drawn from Department for Education's (DfE’s) ‘Get Information About Schools’ database, and the equivalent for Scotland. Less detailed information is available on the sampling frames for schools in Wales and Scotland, and the analysis is based on the information available for each nation for each variable. We analyse the profiles of schools for a range of variables, including school type; regional distribution; urban or rural profile; and proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals.

Type of establishment

The sample of schools participating in YPO 2025 is broadly representative of the population, with a similar profile in terms of types of establishments, regions, free school meals, and urbanity profile. Differences in the profile of the achieved sample compared with the population are taken into account within the weighting of survey findings.

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¹ Or equivalent year groups in Scotland.

List of gambling activities and definitions

List of gambling activities

The survey contained 4 questions which were designed to identify gambling experience and establish rates of active involvement in gambling among young people during the past 7 days, 4 weeks, 12 months and more than 12 months ago.

All young people were asked whether they had ever experienced a range of 17 gambling activities shown in a list. For each activity they had ever experienced, they were then asked when they last did so, whether they had spent their own money on it and when they last spent their own money.

The list of gambling activities which formed the basis of the gambling prevalence questions is shown in Table A.10.

Table A.10: List of gambling activities

The list of gambling activities are:

• National Lottery draw for example Lotto, EuroMillions or Set for Life, either with a physical ticket or playing online
• National Lottery Scratchcards (not free Scratchcards)
• National Lottery online instant win games
• other Lotteries (for example The Health Lottery, People’s Postcode Lottery, or other smaller lotteries)
• arcade gaming machines (for example penny pusher or claw grab machine)
• fruit or slot machines (for example at an arcade, pub or social club)
• gambling machines in a betting shop
• cards for money (for example with friends or family)
• bingo at a bingo club
• bingo at somewhere other than a bingo club (for example social club or holiday park)
• bingo online (for example Foxy Bingo, Gala Bingo or Tombola)
• bet for money between friends or family
• bet on esports (electronic sports such as playing video games competitively) online
• bet at a betting shop or bookies (for example on football or horse racing)
• bet on a betting website and/or app (for example on football or horse racing)
• game inside a casino in real life, not online
• online game on a casino website (for example online poker or online roulette for money).

Definitions

Table A.11 provides definitions for terms referenced throughout the report.

Table A.11: Definitions of terms used within the report

Gambling

For the purpose of this study 'gambling’ includes things like buying Lottery tickets, placing a private bet, playing cards for money and playing on fruit machines.

Active involvement in gambling

Young people who participated in the survey were first asked if they had ever done any of the following list of 17 activities:

• National Lottery draw for example Lotto, EuroMillions or Set for Life, either with a physical ticket or playing online
• National Lottery Scratchcards (not free Scratchcards)
• National Lottery online instant win games
• other Lotteries (for example The Health Lottery, People’s Postcode Lottery, or other smaller lotteries)
• arcade gaming machines (for example penny pusher or claw grab machine)
• fruit or slot machines (for example at an arcade, pub or social club)
• gambling machines in a betting shop
• cards for money (for example with friends or family)
• bingo at a bingo club
• bingo at somewhere other than a bingo club (for example social club or holiday park)
• bingo online (for example Foxy Bingo, Gala Bingo or Tombola)
• bet for money between friends or family
• bet on esports (electronic sports such as playing video games competitively) online
• bet at a betting shop or bookies (for example on football or horse racing)
• bet on a betting website and/or app (for example on football or horse racing)
• game inside a casino in real life, not online
• online game on a casino website (for example online poker or online roulette for money).

Those who selected at least one of these activities were then asked if they had ever spent their own money on these activities, with ‘own money’ noted as meaning pocket money, birthday money or any money they earned themselves or got as a reward. Those who had spent their own money on at least one of the 17 listed activities were asked when they last spent their own money on the activities. Those who cited having spent their own money on any of these activities within the last 12 months are defined as being actively involved in gambling.

Experience of gambling

Young people who had ever done any of the 17 gambling activities previously listed, but not necessarily spending their own money on doing so, are described as having some experience of gambling.

Unregulated forms of gambling

Those gambling activities which fall outside the remit of the Commission such as non-commercial gambling between friends and family or playing bingo somewhere other than a bingo club.

Lotteries or lottery style games

Includes National Lottery draws (for example Lotto, EuroMillions or Set for Life) either with a physical ticket or playing online, National Lottery Scratchcards (not free Scratchcards), National Lottery online instant win games, and Other Lotteries (for example The Health Lottery, People’s Postcode Lottery, or other smaller lotteries).

Experience of lotteries and lottery style games

Includes both spending their own money to play lotteries and lottery style games, as well as experiencing without spending their own money, which might potentially include picking lottery numbers for others or scratching off the numbers on someone else’s ticket or card.

Games and gaming machines

Includes arcade gaming machines (for example penny pusher or claw grab machine), fruit or slot machines (for example at an arcade, pub or social club), gambling machines in a betting shop, and cards for money (for example with friends or family).

Bingo

Includes bingo at a bingo club, bingo at somewhere other than a bingo club (for example social club, holiday park), and bingo online (for example Foxy Bingo, Gala Bingo or Tombola).

Placing a bet

Includes activities such as placing a bet for money between friends or family, placing a bet on eSports (electronic sports such as playing video games competitively) online, placing a bet at a betting shop or bookies (for example on football or horse racing), and placing a bet on a betting website and/or app (for example on football or horse racing).

Casino games

Includes playing a game inside a casino and playing casino games online (for example online poker or online roulette for money).

Accessing adults-only areas

Young people who recalled playing arcade gaming machines were asked if they had ever done so in an adults-only area, for example an adults (18 years old and over) only section of an amusement arcade, bowling alley, holiday park or pub.

In-game items

Skins are one example of in-game items which can be won or bought within a video game to change the appearance of a character, avatar or weapon. On some websites (separate to the game itself), players can trade, bet on and sell their skins in exchange for cash. This is called skins gambling. One commonly used method for players to acquire in-game items is through in-game payments to open loot boxes which contain an unknown quantity and value of in-game items. The use of features which include expenditure and chance has led to concern that loot boxes are akin to gambling. The Commission’s view on skins gambling, loot boxes and related issues is as set out in the position paper published in March 2017 - Virtual currencies Esports and social casino gaming.