UK Gambling Commission reports decline in youth gambling

(PRESS RELEASE) -- Based on a survey of 3,867 11- to 17-year-olds completing an online questionnaire at academies, maintained and independent schools in England, Scotland and Wales, the Young People and Gambling Report 2026 is conducted each year to provide a range of insights. These are used to guide regulatory action, when appropriate, and inform wider thinking on how to help and protect children and vulnerable young people from being harmed in the context of gambling.

This year’s report provides an up-to-date picture of how young people experience and interact with gambling including products which are age-restricted as well as those which are not. Key findings include:

- 74% of 11 to 17 year-olds indicating they had never gambled – a statistically significant increase from last year’s figure of 69.6%
- 26% of 11 to 17 year-olds have spent their own money on gambling in the last year and the majority of this gambling was legal or not on age restricted products
- 5% of 11 to 17 year-olds report that they have spent their own money on age restricted gambling products
- no statistically significant change in the proportion of young people (aged 11 to 17) responding that they had experienced negative consequences of gambling (such as missing school, lying to their friends or family or spending their dinner money on gambling) - 0.9% this year compared to 1.2% last year.

The Commission requires gambling operators to have robust protections in place to prevent children from accessing age-restricted products like betting in a bookmakers or playing an online casino. However, a number of gambling activities are legal or not restricted for this age-group. The most common sort of these activities with this year’s reported engagement rates include:

- playing arcade gaming machines such as penny pusher or claw grab machines (19%)
- placing a bet for money between friends or family (11%)
- playing cards with friends or family for money (5%).

Ben Haden, Director of Research and Statistics, said: “The Commission’s focus is on ensuring that children and young people are not able to spend money on age-restricted gambling products, with an appreciation of the wider context. This is an important survey that provides one perspective on that question as we seek to protect children and vulnerable young people.”

Analysis of trends across annual survey results between 2022 and 2026 indicates an overall decline in participation, although there were variations across intervening years. The proportion of young people who have experienced gambling in the last 12 months fell from 50% in 2022 to 45% in 2026, while the number who spent their own money on gambling declined from 31% to 26% over the same period.

As in previous years, the report also explores 11 to 17 year-old’s exposure to advertising, including on social media and the relationship between gambling and gaming.

The research was conducted in schools, with pupils completing online self-completion surveys during class time. As the survey relies on young people's self-reported responses, findings should be interpreted as estimates of young people’s reported experiences and behaviours rather than independently verified measures of their activity.