Statistics and research release
Young People and Gambling 2022
Gambling Commission report produced by Ipsos on young people and their gambling behaviour, attitudes and awareness in 2022.
Summary
Also published recently
About this statistical release
This publication provides information about young people’s exposure to, and involvement in gambling, including prevalence of problem gambling. It also includes statistics about regulated forms and unregulated forms of gambling.
The findings are taken from the annual Young People and Gambling Survey, conducted in 2022 by Ipsos on behalf of the Gambling Commission.
These results are based on a sample of 2,559 pupils aged 11 to 16 years old across curriculum years 7 to 11 (S1 – S5 in Scotland) using the Ipsos Young People Omnibus. Pupils completed an online self-completion survey in class. Fieldwork took place between 14 March and 1 July 2022.
The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent school closures in 2020 and 2021 meant that the Young People and Gambling survey couldn’t go ahead as usual. However, this provided us with an opportunity to reflect on the way we carry out our research with young people and to put in place improvements for the future. The development work we carried out made a number of recommendations to change the questionnaire where responses indicated that questions were not well understood or were at the risk of becoming outdated.
This means this release will form a benchmark against which future waves of research can be measured. The findings are not directly comparable with previous releases. More information about the survey improvements can be found in the supporting blog post 2022 Young People and Gambling Report – survey improvements explained.
Key facts
31 percent of 11 to 16 year olds spent their own money on any gambling activity in the twelve months prior to taking part in the survey.
During that period, the most common types of gambling activity that young people spent their own money on were legal or did not feature age restricted products, namely:
- playing arcade gaming machines such as penny pusher or claw grab machines (22 percent)
- placing a bet for money between friends or family (15 percent)
- playing cards with friends or family for money (5 percent).
23 percent of young people spent their own money on regulated forms of gambling.
The youth-adapted problem gambling screen (DSM-IV-MR-J1) identified 0.9 percent of 11 to 16 year olds as problem gamblers, 2.4 percent as at risk gamblers and 27.3 percent as non-problem gamblers.
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. Whilst one in five (21 percent) agree that gambling makes them feel happy, more (29 percent) disagreed that it made them happy and the same proportion (29 percent) were unsure either way.
Three in ten (28 percent) young people had seen family members they live with gamble, of which 7 percent indicated it had resulted in arguments or tension at home. However, one in ten (11 percent) said that gambling by a family member had helped to pay for things at home for example holidays, trips or clubs.
Details
Definitions
Active involvement in gambling: Young people who spent their own money (defined as any pocket money, birthday money or money they earned themselves) on gambling.
Experience of gambling: Young people who have gambled, but not necessarily spending their own money on doing so.
Problem gambling: The DSM-IV-MR-J screen has been applied to the Young People and Gambling Survey dataset to classify whether respondents who are actively involved in gambling are problem, at-risk or non-problem gamblers.
Who is this publication for?
The data in this publication may be of interest to members of the public, policy officials, academics, gambling charities or those working within the gambling industry. The statistics are used by the Commission and within Government for a wide variety of purposes.
Some of the main uses include:
- understanding how many young people are actively spending their own money on gambling and the types of gambling they are spending their money on. Also understanding the types of gambling young people are taking part in but not necessarily spending their own money on doing so
- measuring what proportion of young gamblers are classified as at risk or problem gamblers according to the DSM-IV-MR-J screener2
- understanding why young people choose to gamble, and when they gamble where they are and who they are with. Conversely also understanding why young people choose not to gamble.
Full publication and key information
View the Young People and Gambling 2022 report.
Publication produced by: Ipsos.
Supporting documents produced by: Gambling Commission Research and Statistics Team.
Responsible Statisticians: Helen Bryce (Head of Statistics) and Lauren Cole (Research and Impact Manager).
Next release date: November 2023.
Historic datasets
Young People and Gambling Surveys 2011 to 2019 historic datasets are available on the UK Data Archive.
Interactive dashboard
View our Young People and Gambling 2022 interactive dashboard (opens in a new tab)
Accessibility of this dashboard
This dashboard is in Microsoft Power BI which may not fully support all accessibility needs. You can find the source data in Young people and gambling 2022 - Official statistics.
Some files may not be accessible for users of assistive technology. If you require a copy of the file in an accessible format contact us with details of what you require. It would help us to know what technology you use and the required format.
Notes
1 Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th Edition - Multiple Response Juvenile.
2 Fisher, S (2000). Developing the DSM-IV Criteria to identify Adolescent Problem Gambling in Non-Clinical Populations, Journal of Gambling Studies Volume 16 No. 2/3.
Data and downloads
Files
Feedback
We are always keen to hear how these statistics are used and would welcome your views on this publication.