Half of British Teens Report Gambling, New Survey Finds

_{21% of teens gamble on arcade machines. (Image: David Colman/Alamy)} 

More than 49% of young people in the UK aged 11 to 17 reported having some experience with gambling in the past year, with 30% saying they spent their own money doing so,  mostly on informal or unregulated activities. 

The data comes from the 2025 Young People and Gambling Survey, an annual study conducted by Ipsos for the Gambling Commission. It involved 3,666 students across England, Scotland and Wales completing online self-reported surveys in class between January and June.

Boys (34%) were more likely than girls (27%) to spend money on gambling, a jump from 27% overall in 2024. The Gambling Commission said this increase appears largely driven by unregulated forms of gambling, such as betting among friends or using arcade machines.

Report Provides Valuable Insights on Young People's Gambling Activities

Andrew Rhodes, Chief Executive and Commissioner at the Gambling Commission said: "Today we've published our Young People and Gambling Report 2025.

"We conduct this report annually, which helps us to understand children and young people's exposure to, and involvement in, all types of gambling in Great Britain.

"This work gives us valuable insight into what types of gambling activities or behaviour young people are exposed to earlier in life, so we can make more informed decisions about how we protect children and young people from harm - an objective which remains a top priority for us at the Commission."

Arcade Games, Private Bets, and Early Exposure

The most common activities weren’t slot machines or sportsbooks. Instead, young people reported spending their own money on:
    •    arcade machines like claw-grabbers or penny-pushers (21%)
    •    private bets between friends or family (14%)
    •    card games played for money (5%)

If arcade machines are excluded, just 6% of teens said they had spent money on regulated forms of gambling, a figure that has remained stable since 2024.

Nearly one in four (23%) reported spending their own money on regulated gambling, but much of this includes machines legally accessible to youth.

Harms Remain Low but Stable

Only 1.2% of respondents met the criteria for problem gambling based on the DSM-IV-MR-J scale, a screening tool adapted for youth. Another 2.2% were considered “at risk,” meaning they displayed two or three signs of problematic behaviour. A majority (27%) showed no signs of harm.

These rates are largely unchanged from last year, according to the Commission.

Social Media Plays a Growing Role

Almost half of respondents (49%) said they see gambling ads on social media at least weekly, compared with 47% who said the same for apps. Boys were significantly more likely than girls to be exposed to gambling promotions, especially on platforms like YouTube (53% vs 31%) and at live sports events (57% vs 37%).

Influencers also factored in. About 16% of all respondents had seen gambling content promoted by influencers, and nearly one-third of those said they felt encouraged to gamble as a result.

Fun, Not Profit, is the Motivator

Among young people who used their own money, 78% said their main reason for gambling was because it was fun. Other motivations included socialising or testing their skill, not financial gain.

One in three (29%) said they had seen someone they live with gamble. For 7%, this led to household arguments or tension. But 9% said gambling had brought financial benefits to the home, helping pay for trips or household costs.

What This Means, and Who’s Paying Attention

The Gambling Commission uses these insights to shape rules on advertising, access, and education. In August 2024, it introduced tougher age-verification requirements for all land-based casinos and gambling operators. Staff must now check ID for anyone appearing under 25, a change from the previous threshold of 21.

Looking ahead, the commission is focusing on early exposure and gateway products, like loot boxes and social casino games, that mimic gambling mechanics and may influence future behaviour.

These findings matter to policymakers, educators, and industry leaders alike. The report highlights that even without access to traditional gambling platforms, young people are already navigating a grey zone of gambling-like behaviours.