UK student gambling spend almost doubles, survey finds

Twice as many students are now losing more than £50 a week on gambling.

UK- A new survey has found that UK university students who gamble are now losing an average of more than £50 each week. That’s almost twice the amount reported a year earlier.

The fifth annual Student Gambling Survey polled 2,000 students in December 2025. It was conducted by Censuswide for the responsible gambling charity Ygam and the self-exclusion service Gamstop. Some 65 per cent of respondents said they had gambled at least once in the past year. 

A broader trend identified in a five‑year study of 10,000 students suggests that overall participation has fallen from 78 per cent in 2022 to 65 per cent in 2026. However, it appears that while fewer students are gambling, those who do are spending more heavily.

In terms of demographics, male students were found to be much more likely to gamble at 75 per cent compared to 55 per cent for female students. Just half of Asian students reported gambling compared to 72 per cent of White students.

The National Lottery remained the most popular activity (31 per cent), followed closely by online sports betting (29 per cent). Sports betting showed a sharp gender divide: 41 per cent of men versus 17 per cent of women. The frequency of gambling varied by product type: sports bettors averaged 116 days of play per year, online slot players 103 days and lottery participants 65 days.

Weekly spending rose sharply to £50.33, nearly double the £27.24 reported in 2024. Three‑quarters of student gamblers spent more than £10 weekly, while nearly a quarter exceeded £50. Men spent significantly more (£64.89) than women (£30.93).

Motivations for gambling also appear to have shifted: 53 per cent of respondents said they gambled “to make money,” up from 45 per cent the year before. Other reasons included socialising and excitement, while 4 per cent admitted they gambled because they could not stop.

Meanwhile, 18 per cent of student gamblers were classified as problem gamblers using the PGSI screening system: 30 per cent at moderate risk, and 16 per cent at low risk. Men and students from Mixed, Black, or Asian backgrounds scored higher on risk measures.

Nearly half said gambling had harmed their university life, with examples including struggling to afford food (15 per cent), missing social events (14 per cent) and academic disruption. Seven per cent had applied for hardship loans, and 6 per cent considered deferring or dropping out. Funding sources cited were mainly wages (52 per cent), savings (37 per cent), and student loans (21 per cent).

Fiona Palmer, CEO of Gamstop, commented: “The Annual 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.” She added that self‑exclusion is vital, noting that nearly 60,000 under‑25s are now registered with Gamstop – a 75 per cent rise in five years.

Gamstop reported a 40 per cent increase in registrations among 16-24‑year‑olds in the second half of 2025, with 58,675 new sign‑ups between July and December, averaging 319 per day. Awareness of university support services was found to have improved slightly, with 58 per cent of student gamblers aware of help on campus (up from 53 per cent).

Beyond gambling, some 37 per cent of students said they had invested in cryptocurrency (51 per cent of men vs 25 per cent of women). Some 85 per cent had played video games, and 75 per cent of these had bought loot boxes or similar randomised items, up from 66 per cent the year before. Over half considered these purchases to be a form of gambling.

A survey by the building society Nationwide recently found that the top 10 per cent of UK gamblers wagered around £745 per month.