Report
Young People and Gambling 2026: Official statistics
Gambling Commission report produced by Ipsos on young people and their gambling behaviour, attitudes and awareness in 2026.
Contents
- Executive summary
- Wider experience of gambling
-
- Summary
- Definitions
- 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 experienced gambling
- Being stopped from gambling for being too young
- Gambling in the context of young people’s spare time activities
- Gambling in the context of other risk-taking behaviours
- Active involvement in gambling and experience of problem gambling
- Trends in gambling behaviours: 2022 to 2026
- 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
Reasons why young people do not gamble
Young people who had never spent their own money on gambling (including those who had never participated in any gambling activities) were asked why.
The findings suggest that non-participation in gambling among young people is driven primarily by a lack of interest rather than a lack of knowledge. The most common reasons given were that gambling is not something they are interested in (44%), followed by it being illegal for someone of their age or they are too young (40%). Around 3 in 10 said their parents would not want them to gamble (31%), whilst a similar proportion said they would rather play free games than gamble with real money (30%).
Concerns about potential harm (26%), losing money (25%), and moral objections to gambling (24%) were also commonly reported, indicating that both practical and attitudinal factors contribute to young people's decisions not to gamble.
Figure 7.1 provides a more detailed look at the reasons young people select for not gambling.
Figure 7.1: Reasons for not gambling within the past 12 months
Figure 7.1 information
GC_NEVER: You said that you have never gambled or never spent your own money on gambling. Why is that?
Base: All participants (answering) who have never spent their own money on gambling 2026 (2,328).
Note: This is a multiple response questions, therefore answers do not sum to 100%.
| Reasons for not gambling | 2026 (percentage) (multiple response question, therefore, answers do not sum to 100%) |
|---|---|
| It is not something I am interested in | 44% |
| It is illegal or I am too young to do this | 40% |
| My parents would not want to me or allow me to | 31% |
| I do not want to play with real money or I would rather play free games | 30% |
| Because it might lead to future problems | 26% |
| Because I will lose more than I will win | 25% |
| I do not agree with gambling or it is not right | 24% |
| Because I am not likely to win money | 22% |
| It is against my religion | 12% |
| I do not know enough about these gambling games | 12% |
| Other | 5% |
| Do not know | 8% |
Girls were more likely to say that gambling is not something they are interested in than boys (50%, compared with 38%). Boys were more likely than girls to express concerns about the financial aspect of losing more than they win (27%, compared with 21%). Boys were also more concerned about parental and societal pressures in the form of parents not allowing them to gamble (33%, compared with 27%), the potential for future problems (29%, compared with 21%) and gambling being against their religion (15%, compared with 9%).
Age differences were also apparent, with older groups (aged 14 to 17) more likely to say gambling is not something they are interested in (47%, compared with 40% of 11 to 13 year olds) or express concern about losing more money than they will win (26%, compared with 22%). In contrast, those aged 11 to 13 were more likely to say that their parents would not want or allow them to gamble (34%, compared with 27% of 14 to 17 year olds) or to state that they do not agree with gambling (27%, compared with 21%).
The reasons for not gambling differ depending on whether young people have seen a family member gamble. Those who have seen family members gamble give their reasons in monetary terms, such as winning and losing money. They are more likely to say they do not gamble because they are not likely to win money (26%, compared with 20%). In contrast, young people who have not seen a family member gamble are more likely to cite a general lack of interest in gambling (50%, compared with 38%). They are also more likely to say that gambling might lead to future problems (29%, compared with 22%), that they do not agree with gambling or feel it is not right (31%, compared with 16%), and that it is against their religion (19%, compared with 3%).
Most reasons for not gambling were cited more frequently in 2026 than in 2025, notably a preference for playing free games, parental disapproval, concerns about future problems, and the likelihood of losing money or not winning money. Given the increase in the proportion of young people who reported not gambling, these changes may partly reflect a larger and potentially more diverse group of non-gamblers, rather than a change in any single attitude towards gambling.
Table 7.4: Reasons for not gambling 2025 to 2026
GC_NEVER: You said that you have never gambled or never spent your own money on gambling. Why is that?
Base: All participants (answering) who have never spent their own money on gambling 2025 (2,000) 2026 (2,328).
| Reasons for not gambling | 2025 (percentage) | 2026 (percentage) | Statistical difference 2026 compared with 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| It is not something I am interested in | 40% | 44% | Significant increase |
| It is illegal or I am too young to do this | 36% | 40% | Significant increase |
| I do not want to play with real money or I would rather play free games | 22% | 30% | Significant increase |
| My parents would not want to me or allow me to | 24% | 31% | Significant increase |
| I do not agree with gambling or it is not right | 21% | 24% | Significant increase |
| Because it might lead to future problems | 19% | 26% | Significant increase |
| Because I will lose more than I will win | 17% | 25% | Significant increase |
| Because I am not likely to win money | 15% | 22% | Significant increase |
| It is against my religion | 18% | 12% | Significant decrease |
| I do not know enough about these gambling games | 10% | 12% | Significant increase |
| Other | 5% | 5% | No significant difference |
| Do not know | 11% | 8% | Significant decrease |
Feeling informed about gambling: 2025 to 2026 Next section
Young people who consider themselves risk-takers
Last updated: 12 November 2026
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