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
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- 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
Gambling in the context of other risk-taking behaviours
The survey also measures young people’s self-reported involvement in other risk-taking behaviours, such as smoking, drinking, and drug taking, to set gambling participation in context.
Among the behaviours measured, levels of participation varied considerably. Around a third (31%) of young people reported having drunk alcohol in the past 12 months. This is followed by 11% who vaped, 6% who smoked, and 5% who took illegal drugs (including cannabis). While 45% reported some experience of gambling in the last year, around half of this proportion (26%) reported active involvement through spending their own money.
These comparisons should be interpreted with caution. Gambling participation is derived from a detailed series of questions covering 17 different activities, whereas each of the other risk-taking behaviours was measured through a single question. Differences between the reported percentages may therefore reflect how the behaviours were measured, as well as differences in young people’s participation. However, the findings are broadly consistent with other national surveys of young people.
Figure 1.6: Risk-taking behaviours in the past 12 months
Figure 1.6 information
GC_ACTIVITY: Please look at the list below and for each activity, select when, if ever, you have done this.
Base: All 11 to 17 year olds answering who have drunk alcoholic drink 2026 (3,662), used an e-cigarette and/or vape 2026 (3,678), smoked tobacco cigarette 2026 (3,717), taken illegal drugs 2026 (3,711).
GAMSPEND4. And when did you last spend money on [this activity and/or these activities]? Was it...?
GC_GAMSPENDWHEN. When did you last do this activity? Was it...? Summary of gambling in last 7 days, 4 weeks or 12 months.
Base: All 11 to 17 year olds answering 2026 (3,867).
| Risk-taking behaviours in the past 12 months | 2026 (percentage) |
|---|---|
| Experienced gambling in the last 12 months | 45% |
| Drunk an alcoholic drink | 31% |
| Active involvement in gambling | 26% |
| Used an e-cigarette and/or vape | 11% |
| Smoked a tobacco cigarette | 6% |
| Taken illegal drugs (including cannabis) | 5% |
Broadly speaking young people who report participation in each of these risk-taking behaviours were from the older age groups, consider themselves a risk-taker, and were from white ethnic backgrounds, which aligns with the findings for gambling participation.
Looking at this in more detail, there were higher levels of drinking and vaping among young people who have actively gambled. Overall, 31% of 11 to 17 years old have drunk an alcoholic drink in the last 12 months, increasing to 40% of young people who gambled with their own money in the 12 months prior to the survey. Similarly, the rates of vaping were higher for those who gambled with their own money in the same period (15%, compared with 11% of the total sample).
The data suggests a similar pattern for other risk-taking behaviours, although the differences were marginal, with young people who had actively gambled in the previous 12 months more likely to have taken illegal drugs (8%, compared with 5% overall) and to have smoked a tobacco cigarette (9%, compared with 6% overall).
As shown in Table 1.8, levels of risk-taking behaviours were broadly similar in 2025 and 2026, although some small but statistically significant differences were observed. The proportion of young people who reported drinking alcohol in the previous 12 months fell from 34% in 2025 to 31% in 2026, while the proportion reporting use of an e-cigarette or vape decreased from 13% to 11%. There was no significant change in the proportion who reported smoking tobacco or taking illegal drugs. Overall, the findings indicate a largely stable picture of risk-taking behaviours among young people, against the backdrop of the decrease in gambling participation.
Table 1.8: Risk-taking behaviours in the past 12 months: 2025 to 2026
GC_ACTIVITY. Please look at the following list and for each activity, select when, if ever, you have done this.
Base: All answering who have drunk alcoholic drink 2025 (3,152), 2026 (3,622), used an e-cigarette and/or vape 2025 (3,503), 2026 (3,678), smoked a tobacco cigarette 2025 (3,533), 2026 (3,717), taken illegal drugs 2025 (3,534), 2026 (3,711).
GC_GAMSPENDWHEN. When did you last do this activity? Was it...? Summary of gambling in last 7 days, 4 weeks or 12 months.
GAMSPEND4. And when did you last spend money on [this activity and/or these activities]? Was it...?
Base: All answering 2025 (3,666), 2026 (3,867).
| Risk-taking behaviours in the past 12 months in 2025 and 2026 | 2025 (percentage) | 2026 (percentage) | Statistical difference 2026 compared with 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Experienced gambling in the last 12 months | 49% | 45% | Significant decrease |
| Drunk an alcoholic drink | 34% | 31% | Significant decrease |
| Active involvement in gambling | 30% | 26% | Significant decrease |
| Used an e-cigarette and/or vape | 13% | 11% | Significant decrease |
| Smoked a tobacco cigarette | 5% | 6% | No significant difference |
| Taken illegal drugs (including cannabis) | 5% | 5% | No significant difference |
Gambling in the context of young people’s spare time activities
Last updated: 12 November 2026
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