UK Student Problem Gambling Rate Much Higher Than National Rate

Close to one in five students class as problem gamblers, with the rate being significantly higher than the national problem gambling rate showed in the Gambling Commission’s findings, according to a survey conducted by charities Gamstop and Ygam.

The data was described in the Annual Student Gambling Survey. A sample of 2,000 students from universities across the UK participated in the survey, which covered students’ gambling activities, spending habits, influences, consequences, funding sources and help-seeking. The data was collected in December 2025, at the end of a student finance period and outside of academic term time.

A stark difference

According to the survey, a total of 18% of students who gambled said they experienced harm, classing as problem gamblers on the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), with a further 30% being at moderate risk and 16% at low risk of gambling harms.

In contrast, the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB), published by regulator the Gambling Commission and which also uses the PGSI, showed a 2.7% problem gambling rate for 2024.

That rate, based on 19,714 respondents, was up from 2.5% in the original GSGB survey covering 2023. The two GSGBs have showed higher problem gambling rates than previous surveys. The Commission’s previous quarterly telephone survey showed that in the year to December 2022, a total of 0.2% of 4,000 respondents classed as problem gamblers.

Sharp gambling spend increase

Another finding from the Annual Student Gambling Survey was that gambling spend among students in the UK has almost doubled. Participants spent an average of £50.33 per week on gambling, up from £27.24 the year before. The mean weekly spend among male gamblers was £64.89, more than double the £30.93 mean weekly spend from female gamblers.

Findings from the survey also showed six in 10 students have gambled in the last year, with participation increasing to seven in 10 among male students. More than half the students surveyed reported gambling to make money, indicating financial pressures are a driver of greater activity.

Social media concern

Commenting on the sharp increase in weekly gambling spend, Ygam CEO Emily Tofield said:

“Social media continues to have an increasingly powerful influence on many aspects of young people’s lives, and this is clearly reflected in our latest findings on student gambling. The digital world that students are immersed in is shaping attitudes and behaviours in ways we are only beginning to fully understand.

“What is particularly concerning is the sharp rise in weekly gambling spend among university students compared to last year. At a time when the cost-of-living crisis is placing real pressure on finances, this trend is concerning. University students are engaging in gambling in significant numbers and remain a group particularly vulnerable to harm, driven by a combination of factors.”

Fiona Palmer, Gamstop Group CEO, added:

“The Student Gambling Survey reveals a worrying lack of awareness about the risks of gambling in the student community and the impact on students who struggle to control their gambling, but it is encouraging to see more awareness of the support available.

“Self-exclusion is an important tool and nearly 60,000 under-25s are registered with Gamstop — a 75% increase over the last five years — which shows that younger people are recognising the importance of taking back control of their gambling.”