Nearly Half of Britons Gambled in Past Month, Lottery Dominates as Bingo Holds Firm

_{Gambling Commission data shows stable participation rates, falling horse race betting, and continued strength for lottery and bingo play. (Image: Mathew Horwood/Alamy)} 

Almost half of adults in Great Britain gambled in the past four weeks, according to new data released today by the Gambling Commission, underscoring the continued reach of the National Lottery and the resilience of in-person bingo.

The latest Gambling Survey for Great Britain, conducted by the National Centre for Social Research, found that 48% of adults aged 18 and over reported taking part in at least one form of gambling between 30 June 2025 and 31 October 2025. The survey is based on a nationally representative sample of 5,883 adults.

That headline figure is unchanged from the previous wave, covering April to July 2025, suggesting participation has stabilised.

Lottery Play Drives Headline Numbers

Strip out those who only bought lottery tickets, and participation drops sharply.

When lottery-only players are excluded, overall gambling activity falls to 27%. The data shows that 21% of adults in Great Britain took part solely in National Lottery or charity lottery draws in the previous four weeks.

That gap highlights the continued dominance of lottery products in the UK market. The National Lottery has operated since 1994 and remains one of the most widely played gambling products in the country. The odds of winning the National Lottery Lotto jackpot are approximately 1 in 45,057,474, according to Allwyn, the current operator. Despite those long odds, ticket sales remain strong, driven by low entry costs and large rollover prizes.

The survey also found that 26% of adults bought National Lottery tickets online in the past four weeks, while 16% purchased tickets in person. Charity lottery draws also showed solid participation, both online at 15% and in person at 5%.

For regulators, operators, and policymakers, the distinction matters. Lottery products tend to have lower staking levels and different risk profiles compared with betting and online casino games.

Who Is Gambling and How

Overall gambling participation was higher among men than women, at 52% compared with 45%.

Participation peaked among adults aged 45 to 64, at between 55% and 56%. But when lottery-only players are removed, the age profile shifts younger. Adults aged 25 to 34 show the highest participation rate at 35%, a pattern consistent across both men and women.

After lottery draws, the most popular activities were scratchcards at 12%, betting at 10%, and online instant win games at 7%.

Gender differences were most pronounced in betting. Sixteen percent of men reported betting in the past four weeks, compared with 4% of women. By contrast, scratchcards and online instant win games showed little variation between sexes.

Horse race betting fell to 4%, down from 7% in Wave 2. The Commission said the earlier spike coincided with major racing events, and participation in Wave 3 has returned to levels similar to Wave 1, which covered January to April 2025.

Online Stable, Bingo Resilient In Person

Online gambling participation stood at 39% in the past four weeks. Excluding lottery-only players, that figure drops to 16%. The Commission said this is consistent with the same period last year.

Sports and racing betting online or via app was reported by 8% of adults.

In-person gambling participation was 28%, falling to 17% when lottery-only players are excluded.

Bingo continues to hold a niche but steady presence. Three percent of adults reported playing bingo at a venue in the past four weeks, matching the rate for in-person sports and racing betting. While smaller than lottery or scratchcard participation, venue bingo’s consistency reflects its social appeal and its longstanding place in Britain’s land-based gambling sector.

A New Generation of Players

While bingo once carried the stereotype of the “Beige Mac Brigade,” Woolley said that image no longer reflects reality.

In a recent interview with Casinos.com Peter Woolley of Palace bingo said: 

 “Our age range in my two clubs is anywhere between 18 and 108,” he said. Younger players, he explained, are drawn in by technology such as electronic tablets that make gameplay easier. Families often attend together."

“We get individuals, couples, groups, families sometimes of three or four generations playing bingo at the same time.”

Despite decades of challenges, from the National Lottery to the smoking ban to COVID-19, Woolley said the bingo industry has remained remarkably robust.

 “Each time bingo has managed to survive and sometimes evolve,” he said. “The industry faces each challenge head on together.”

Why People Gamble

Motivations remain broadly unchanged. ‘For the chance to win big money’ and ‘because it’s fun’ were the most commonly cited reasons for gambling over the past 12 months.

Among 18 to 24-year-olds, enjoyment overtook financial motives, making ‘because it’s fun’ the most common reason in that age group.

Overall, 42% of those who gambled in the past year said they felt positive about the last time they spent money on gambling, while 35% felt neutral.

Understanding the Data

The Gambling Survey for Great Britain is now the Commission’s primary source of official statistics on gambling participation. However, the regulator cautions that the data is not directly comparable with older survey series due to methodological changes.

As with all surveys, results are estimates and subject to a margin of error, based on a 95% confidence interval. Full methodological details are published in the Wave 3 report and accompanying technical documentation.

The next quarterly release, covering October 2025 to January 2026, is scheduled for 4 June 2026.

For industry stakeholders, the figures offer a snapshot of a market that remains heavily anchored by the National Lottery, shows steady online engagement, and continues to see modest but stable participation in traditional venues such as bingo halls.