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Lived experiences of gambling in teenage boys and young men: Qualitative research

Qualitative research to explore the lived experiences of teenage boys and young men aged 14 to 25 years.

Published
11 December 2025

Last updated
11 December 2025 - Changes

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Contents

Definitions

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

A screening tool 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.

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.

More detail can be found on the screen questions here.

Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI)

Used in the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB), Health Survey for England, Scottish Health Survey and the Welsh Problem Gambling Survey. The PGSI was specifically developed for use among the general population rather than within a clinical context by Ferris and Wynne (2001) (opens in new tab).

The PGSI consists of 9 items and each item is assessed on a four-point scale: 'never' to 'almost always'. The following PGSI questions are asked to all participants of a survey who have gambled at least once in the last 12 months:

Thinking about the last 12 months...

  1. Have you bet more than you could really afford to lose?
  2. Have you needed to gamble with larger amounts of money to get the same feeling of excitement?
  3. When you gambled, did you go back another day to try to win back the money you lost?
  4. Have you borrowed money or sold anything to get money to gamble?
  5. Have you felt that you might have a problem with gambling?
  6. Has gambling caused you any health problems, including stress or anxiety?
  7. Have people criticized your betting or told you that you had a gambling problem, regardless of whether or not you thought it was true?
  8. Has your gambling caused any financial problems for you or your household?
  9. Have you felt guilty about the way you gamble or what happens when you gamble?

Scoring instructions

Each item is assessed on a four-point scale ranging from: never, sometimes, most of the time, almost always. Responses to each item are given the following scores:

  • never = 0
  • sometimes = 1
  • most of the time = 2
  • almost always = 3.

When scores to each item are summed, a total score ranging from 0 to 27 is possible. Scores are grouped into the following categories:

PGSI score 0 Representing a person who gambles (including heavily) but does not report experiencing any of the 9 symptoms or adverse consequences asked about.
PGSI score 1 to 2 Representing low risk gambling by which a person is unlikely to have experienced any adverse consequences from gambling but may be at risk if they are heavily involved in gambling.
PGSI score 3 to 7 Representing moderate risk gambling by which a person may or may not have experienced any adverse consequences from gambling but may be at risk if they are heavily involved in gambling.
PGSI score 8 or more Representing problem gambling by which a person will have experienced adverse consequences from gambling and may have lost control of their behaviour. Involvement in gambling can be at any level, but it is likely to be heavy.

More detail can be found on the PGSI here.

Higher gambling activity

Participants who reported taking part in 2 or more gambling activities in the past 12 months, including at least one activity in the last 4 weeks. They also scored 2 or above (ages 14 to 17) on the DSM-IV-MR-J screening, or 3 or above (ages 18 to 25) on the PGSI. These participants typically showed greater engagement and personal impact from gambling.

Lower gambling activity

Participants who reported taking part in one or two gambling activities in the past 12 months, but none in the last 4 weeks, and who scored below 2 on the relevant screening measure (DSM-IV-MR-J for under-18s, PGSI for over-18s). These participants showed limited or less frequent engagement, and minimal reported impact.

Gambling-like activity

In this report, this term refers to activities that are not legally defined or regulated as gambling but share similar features (such as spending money for a chance outcome or uncertain reward). Examples include opening loot boxes in video games or collecting trading cards where contents are unknown until purchase.

Loot boxes

Digital features in video games that allow players to pay (with real or in-game currency) for a virtual 'box' containing random rewards such as players, items, or cosmetic upgrades.

Skins betting

A form of gambling where in-game items known as 'skins”, which change a character’s or weapon’s appearance, are used as currency to place bets on games or events, often through external websites.

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