Report
Young People and Gambling 2025: Official statistics
Gambling Commission report produced by Ipsos on young people and their gambling behaviour, attitudes and awareness in 2025.
Contents
- Executive summary
- Wider experience of gambling
-
- Summary
- Wider experience and active involvement in gambling
- Experience of different categories of gambling activities
- Experience of different types of gambling activities
- Who young people were with when they gambled
- Being stopped from gambling for being too young
- Gambling in the context of what young people do in their spare time
- Gambling in the context of other risk taking behaviours
- Active involvement in gambling and experience of problem gambling
- Trends in gambling behaviours: 2022 to 2025
- Young people’s exposure to gambling
- The impact of gambling on young people
- Gambling activities and gaming
- Perspectives on gambling: Awareness, attitudes and behaviours
- Appendices
Being stopped from gambling for being too young
All young people, regardless of gambling experience, were asked whether they had ever been stopped from gambling because they were too young. Excluding those young people who noted they had never tried to gamble, 13 percent overall reported having been stopped from gambling because they were too young.
Among those who have been stopped from gambling because they were too young, the proportions are similar for gambling online (7 percent) and in a premises for example a shop, betting shop, arcade (8 percent).
The findings are consistent across sub-groups except for age, with 16 year olds more likely to say they have never been stopped from gambling due to being too young, compared with young people overall (63 percent, compared with 48 percent).
Figure 1.5: Being stopped from gambling for money due to being too young within the past 12 months
Figure 1.5 information
GC_STOPPED. Thinking about gambling for money, have you ever been stopped from gambling because you were too young?
Base: All 11 to 17 year olds answering 2025 (1,098).
| Being stopped from gambling due to being too young | 2025 (percentage) |
|---|---|
| Yes | 13% |
| No, I have never been stopped | 48% |
| Do not know | 39% |
The proportion of young people who have been stopped from gambling for money for being too young has not changed since 2024 (15 percent in 2024, compared with 13 percent in 2025).
As shown, in Table 1.5 there is an increase in the proportion of young people who say they have never been stopped, but this reflects the drop in numbers who are unsure either way.
Table 1.5: Being stopped from gambling for money due to being too young 2024 to 2025
GC_STOPPED. Thinking about gambling for money, have you ever been stopped from gambling because you were too young?
Base: All answering who did not say they had never tried to gamble 2024 (1,045), 2025 (1,098).
| Being stopped from gambling due to being too young, 2024 and 2025 | 2024 (percentage) | 2025 (percentage) | Statistical difference 2025 compared with 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 15% | 13% | No significant difference |
| No, I have never been stopped | 42% | 48% | Significant increase |
| Do not know | 42% | 39% | No significant difference |
Who young people were with when they gambled Next section
Gambling in the context of what young people do in their spare time
Last updated: 13 November 2025
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