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
- Executive summary
- Young people’s active involvement in gambling
- Experience of gambling
- The Impact of gambling on young people
- Online gambling
- National Lottery play
- Games and gaming machines
- The Context for gambling participation
- Attitudes towards and exposure to gambling
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- Summary
- Young people's views on gambling
- Feeling informed about gambling
- Being stopped from gambling
- Young people's exposure to gambling adverts and promotions and frequency of exposure
- Content of gambling adverts and promotions seen
- Whether ever prompted to gamble by adverts and promotions
- Following gambling companies on social media
- Appendices
- List of gambling activities and definitions
Reasons why young people gamble
Most (78 percent) young people who spent their own money gambling in the last 12 months, did so because they regard it as a fun thing to do (Figure 23). This is by far the most common reason given for gambling.
However, the prospect of winning money is a key driver for some young people: Over one third (35 percent) gambled because they felt they had a good chance of winning something (even if not a big prize), while one quarter (25 percent) said they gambled because they thought they could win a jackpot or big prize. Almost one third (32 percent) said they gambled with the intention of winning money.
For three in ten (29 percent) young people, their reason for gambling was the simplicity of the games they played. A similar proportion cited that it gave them something to do (28 percent).
Figure 23: Thinking about when you have spent your money on... in the last 12 months, why did you do this?
Figure 23 information
GC_SPENDWHY. Thinking about when you have spent your money on ... in the past 12 months, why did you do this?
Base: All 11 to 17 year olds (answering) who spent their own money in the last 12 months on... (879).
Note: This is a multiple response question, so the responses shown will not add up to 100 percent
| Reasons for gambling – top ten responses | Percentage (multiple response question, therefore answers do not sum to 100 percent) |
|---|---|
| Because it's fun | 78% |
| I have a good chance of winning something (even if not a big prize or jackpot) | 35% |
| To try to win money | 32% |
| The games are simple to play | 29% |
| It gives me something to do | 28% |
| I have a chance to win a jackpot or big prize | 25% |
| To get a buzz and/or because it is exciting | 21% |
| Because I like to take risks | 19% |
| Because it helps me and/or cheers me up when I feel down, nervous or in a bad mood | 14% |
| Because it's cool | 12% |
Setting gambling in the context of other activities Next section
Why young people do not gamble
Last updated: 16 November 2023
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