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
Wider experience and active involvement in gambling
Just over half (55%) of 11 to 17 year olds have some experience of gambling, with 45% having taken part in at least one gambling activity in the last 12 months. This experience of gambling does not necessarily involve spending their own money. The overall proportion of young people who were actively involved with gambling (such as spent their own money on it) within the last 12 months was 26%, decreasing to 12% within the last 4 weeks, and to 5% within the last 7 days.
Figure 1.1: Wider experience and active involvement in gambling
Figure 1.1 information
Base: All 11 to 17 year olds answering 2026 (3,867).
Note: the chart and table show results for different questions asked in the survey, so the responses shown will not add up to 100%.
| Wider experience and active involvement in gambling | 2026 (percentage) (results for different questions asked in survey therefore answers will not add up to 100%) |
|---|---|
| Ever experienced gambling | 55% |
| Experienced gambling in the last 12 months | 45% |
| Spent money on gambling in last 12 months | 26% |
| Spent money on gambling in last 4 weeks | 12% |
| Spent money on gambling in last 7 days | 5% |
There were no differences in gambling participation within the last 12 months by gender or age. However, young people from white ethnic groups were more likely to have gambled than those young people from ethnic minority groups (48%, compared with 39%). Those who had seen their family members gamble were also more likely to have gambled in the last 12 months, compared with those who had not (55%, compared with 42%). Similarly, young people who considered themselves to be risk-takers were more likely to have gambled in the last 12 months, compared with those who did not consider themselves to be a risk-taker (53%, compared with 40%).
There was a significant decline in gambling experience and participation between 2025 and 2026. Compared with 2025, the proportion of young people who have some experience of gambling has decreased from 59% to 55% in 2026. There has also been a decrease in the proportion who had experienced gambling in the last 12 months, falling from 49% in 2025 to 45% in 2026.
The levels of active involvement in gambling within the last 12 months has also declined. The proportion of young people who spent their own money on gambling in the last 12 months decreased from 30% in 2025 to 26% in 2026, while the proportion who had spent money on gambling in the previous 4 weeks fell from 16% to 12%. However, active involvement in gambling within the last 7 days remained at a low level, with no significant difference between 2025 (6%) and 2026 (5%).
Table 1.1: Wider experience and active involvement in gambling 2025 to 2026
Base: All answering 2025 (3,666), 2026 (3,867).
Note: The table shows results for different questions asked in the survey, so the responses shown will not add up to 100%.
| Wider experience and active involvement in gambling in 2025 and 2026 | 2025 (percentage) (answers do not sum to 100% as chart shows more than one question) |
2026 (percentage) (answers do not sum to 100% as chart shows more than one question) |
Statistical difference 2026 compared with 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ever experienced gambling | 59% | 55% | Significant decrease |
| Experienced gambling in last 12 months | 49% | 45% | Significant decrease |
| Spent money on gambling in last 12 months | 30% | 26% | Significant decrease |
| Spent money on gambling in last 4 weeks | 16% | 12% | Significant decrease |
| Spent money on gambling last 7 days | 6% | 5% | No significant difference |
Definitions Next section
Experience of different categories of gambling activities
Last updated: 12 November 2026
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