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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

Who is with young people when they play gaming machines

The majority of young people have someone else present when they play arcade gaming machines (90 percent) or fruit and slot machines (82 percent). In both instances, for around half of young people this is typically a parent or guardian (55 percent for arcade gaming machines and 53 percent for fruit and slot machines).

While parents or guardians are most likely to be accompanying the young person playing an arcade gaming machine, this is more prevalent amongst those aged 11 to 13 years old (63 percent) than those aged 14 to 16 years old (50 percent) or those aged 17 years old (36 percent).

Compared to those aged 11 to 13 years old, young people aged 14 to 16 years old are more likely to be accompanied by friends who were aged 17 years old and younger (38 percent, compared with 26 percent).

When playing arcade gaming machines, only a minority (4 percent) were alone when playing. Boys were more likely to be alone than girls (6 percent, compared with 1 percent).

Parents and guardians are most likely to be present with young people who have someone with them when playing arcade gaming machines and fruit and slot machines, however this has seen a slight decrease in comparison to 2022 (2 percentage point decrease from 57 percent for arcade gaming machines and 7 percentage point decrease for fruit and slot machines).

Figure 18: Who young people were with when playing games and gaming machines

A bar chart showing who young people were with when playing games and gaming machines, from 'Parent(s), carer(s) or guardian(s)' to 'I was alone'. For each group of people there are two bars. One bar represents those young people who played arcade gaming machines, the other bar represents those young people that played fruit or slot machines. Data from the chart is provided within the following table.

Figure 18 information

GAMSPEND2. Last time you did [this activity and/or these activities] who were you with?
Base: All 11 to 17 year olds answering who have played arcade gaming machines (1,640), fruit or slot machines (403).
Note: This chart shows responses for two separate questions, so the total will not add up to 100 percent.

Figure 18: Who young people were with when playing games and gaming machines.
Who young people were with when playing games and gaming machines Percentage who were playing arcade gaming machines (multiple response question, therefore answers do not sum to 100 percent) Percentage who were playing fruit or slot machine (multiple response question, therefore answers do not sum to 100 percent)
Parent(s), carer(s) or guardian(s) 55% 53%
Friend(s) aged 17 years old or younger 33% 20%
Brother(s) or sister(s) aged 17 years old or younger 22% 17%
Brother(s) or sister(s) aged 18 years old or older 9% 8%
Friend(s) aged 18 years old or older 2% 6%
I was alone 4% 5%
Others 5% 3%
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Types of gaming machines
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