The Gambling Commission has published its Young People and Gambling Report 2025 – the annual study that helps understand children’s and young people’s exposure to, and involvement in, all types of gambling.
The findings presented in this publication are taken from the annual Young People and Gambling Survey, conducted in 2025 by Ipsos on behalf of the Gambling Commission. The study collected data from 3,666 pupils aged 11 to 17 years old across curriculum years 7 to 12 (S1 to S6 in Scotland) attending academies, maintained and independent schools in England, Scotland, and Wales using the Ipsos Young People Omnibus. Pupils completed an online self-report survey in class, fieldwork took place between January and June 2025.
Findings are compared with previous years of the survey to identify trends. Statistically significant differences are highlighted across the years 2022, 2023 and 2024, though the 2022 sample did not include year 12 pupils or independent schools and so comparisons with this year are indicative only.
Three in ten (30%) 11 to 17 year olds had spent their own money on any gambling activity in the 12 months prior to completing the survey, with boys (34%) more likely than girls (27%). This represents an increase from 27% in 2024, which appears largely driven by a rise in unregulated gambling (18% in 2025, compared with 15% in 2024).
The most common types of gambling activity that young people spent their own money on were legal or did not feature age restricted products, namely:
Around one quarter (23%) of young people spent their own money on regulated forms of gambling in the past 12 months, including playing arcade gaming machines which are legally accessible to young people. If arcade gaming machines are remove from the definition, then 6% of young people spent their own money on regulated forms of gambling which has remained stable compared to 2024.
Young people are more likely to be exposed to gambling-related advertisements weekly online, rather than offline. Specifically, via social media (49%) or apps (47%). Boys were more likely than girls to see advertisements related to gambling across various platforms, including video sharing sites, such as YouTube (53% of boys, compared with 31% of girls) and at sports events (57%, compared with 37%).
The 2025 survey also explored the influence of social media personalities, finding that 31% of young people who saw gambling-related content on social media (16% reported that influencers had advertised gambling-related content to them.
The primary motivation for gambling among young people is that they find it ‘fun’, cited by 78% of those who have used their own money to gamble in the last 12 months.
Three in ten (29%) young people had seen family members they live with gamble. Of these, 7% indicated it had resulted in arguments or tension at home. However, 9% said that gambling by a family member had helped to pay for things at home for example holidays, trips or clubs.
The Hub is a Fast Forward project. Their mission is for every young person and their trusted adult in Scotland to have access to gambling education and prevention opportunities.
We support young people’s health and wellbeing by promoting awareness of gambling harms through training, peer education, peer theatre, our network, and more. Find out more about our work here.