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Report

Young People and Gambling 2023: Official statistics

Gambling Commission report produced by Ipsos on young people and their gambling behaviour, attitudes and awareness in 2023.

Published
16 November 2023

Last updated
16 November 2023 - Changes

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Contents

Overall gambling experience

In total, almost half (48 percent) of all 11 to 17 year olds have some experience of gambling, with two in five (40 percent) having experienced gambling in the last 12 months. This experience of gambling does not necessarily entail spending their own money. The proportion of young people who were actively involved with gambling (that is, spent their own money) in the last 12 months is 26 percent, decreasing to 13 percent in the last 4 weeks and 5 percent in the last seven days.

Experience of gambling within the last 12 months was more prevalent among those aged 11 to 13 years old (43 percent) than those aged 14 to 16 years old (37 percent), and 17 year olds (35 percent). Those who have experienced gambling in the last 12 months were also likely to be young people from white ethnic groups (42 percent) than young people from black and ethnic backgrounds (33 percent) and from Scotland than England or Wales (48 percent, compared to 39 percent and 34 percent). Those who had seen their family members gamble were also more likely to have experience of gambling in the last 12 months compared with those who had not (58 percent, compared to 42 percent), which could be a result of taking part in the gambling activity together.

Overall experience of gambling has seen a significant decrease in comparison to 2022, with a 10 percentage point decrease from 50 percent of young people who have had some experience of gambling over the last 12 months.

There has been a 7 percentage point decrease among those aged 11 to 13 years old, whose gambling was on par with those aged 14 to 16 years old in 2022 (both 50 percent), 14 to 16 year olds have since seen a decrease of 13 percentage points in experience of gambling. There continues to be a significant disparity between ethnic groups. Young people from white ethnic groups and those of black and ethnic minority backgrounds have each seen a decrease in comparison to 2022 in experience of gambling in the last 12 months (from 53 to 42 percent and 42 to 33 percent, respectively).

Figure 3: Wider experience and active involvement in gambling

A bar chart showing wider experience and active involvement in gambling. Data from the chart is provided within the following table.

Figure 3 information

Base: All 11 to 17 year olds answering (3,453).
Note: The chart shows results for different questions asked in the survey, so the responses shown will not add up to 100 percent.

Figure 3: Wider experience and active involvement in gambling
Wider experience and active involvement in gambling Percentage (answers do not sum to 100 percent as chart shows more than one question)
Ever gambled 48%
Gambled in last 12 months 40%
Spent money on gambling in last 12 months 26%
Spent money on gambling in last 4 weeks 13%
Spent money on gambling in last 7 days 5%
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Overall gambling experience in the last 12 months
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