Cookies on the Gambling Commission website

The Gambling Commission website uses cookies to make the site work better for you. Some of these cookies are essential to how the site functions and others are optional. Optional cookies help us remember your settings, measure your use of the site and personalise how we communicate with you. Any data collected is anonymised and we do not set optional cookies unless you consent.

Set cookie preferences

You've accepted all cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

Skip to main content

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.

Contents


Types of gaming machines

Young people who had ever played on arcade gaming machines, fruit or slot machines or other gambling machines were asked what kinds of gaming machines they played. Of these young people, penny falls or penny pusher machines (73 percent) and claw or crane grab machines (70 percent) were the most played games.

Less commonly played were the fruit machine-style games where you win tickets to buy prizes (for example soft toys) (17 percent), and quiz game machines where you win small cash prizes or tickets to buy prizes (14 percent). Plays on fruit machine-style games where you win small cash prizes represented one in ten (10 percent).

Figure 19: Types of gaming machines played

A bar chart showing the types of gaming machines played by young people, from 'Penny falls or penny pusher machines' to 'Fruit machine style games where you win small cash prizes'. Data from the chart is provided within the following table.

Figure 19 information

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 11 to 17 year olds answering who have played arcade gaming machines or fruit and/or slot machines (1,651).
Note: This is a multiple response question, so the responses shown will not add up to 100 percent.

Figure 19: Types of gaming machines played.
Type of gaming machine played Percentage (multiple response question, therefore answers do not sum to 100 percent)
Penny falls or penny pusher machines 73%
Claw or crane grab machines 70%
Fruit machine style games where you win tickets to ‘buy’ prizes 17%
Quiz game machines – where you win small cash prizes or tickets to ‘buy’ prizes 14%
Fruit machine style games where you win small cash prizes 10%
Other 2%
Don’t know 8%

Girls were more likely than boys to play penny falls or penny pusher machines (78 percent compared with 69 percent) as well as claw or crane grab machines (75 percent, compared with 66 percent). Penny pusher machines as well as claw or crane grab machines do however rank the highest of use in boys.

Those who define their ethnicity as white were more likely than young people from black or ethnic minority backgrounds to play penny falls or penny pusher machines (78 percent, compared with 54 percent). Those who are categorised as black or of an ethnic minority background are most likely to play claw or crane grab machines (72 percent).

There has been a slight decrease in the likelihood of claw or crane grab machines being the most played arcade games since 2022 (2 percentage point decrease from 72 percent). There has been an increase in girls playing on penny falls or penny pusher machines (4 percentage point increase from 74 percent in 2022).

Previous section
Who is with young people when they play gaming machines
Next section
Play in an adults-only area
Is this page useful?
Back to top