UKGC Annual report reveals young people’s exposure to gambling

The United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) has released its annual Young People and Gambling Report, a crucial study based on independent surveys from 3,666 pupils ages 11 to 17 across England, Scotland and Wales. The study is conducted yearly to measure children’s exposure and involvement in all types of gambling. 

While long-standing concerns exist, such as the report revealing 90% of children are exposed to gambling adverts, the UKGC’s latest findings pivot the focus towards the gateway activities driving a rise in youth gambling. 

The scale of youth engagement 

The main objective of this annual report is to determine how many children and young people are affected by gambling. 

Here are some of the key figures: 

• 49% of surveyed pupils have experienced gambling in the past 12 months.

• 30% have spent their own money on gambling, which is an increase from 27% in 2024.

• 1.2% of respondents are experiencing gambling problems, although this has decreased from 1.5% in 2024. 

Despite fewer children experiencing gambling problems, there is still a larger number participating in gambling. 

While concerns often focus on celebrity endorsements and advertising, Tim Miller, the Executive Director of Research and Policy, believes that the participation increase is primarily driven by activities that are ‘legal or [do] not require regulation, such as private betting between friends”. 

Unregulated gateways

While the number of young people reporting gambling problems has seen a slight decrease, the UKGC is concerned by the significant jump in overall participation. 

This increase, however, is not due to minors accessing age-restricted products, but rather the rise in engagement in legal activities, such as: 

• Arcade games: 21% played arcade games, such as claw grab machines.

• Private betting: 14% place bets with friends and family. 

• Card games: 5% play cards with friends and family for money.

Psychology behind the data

The data draws attention to gambling-adjacent behaviour, like loot boxes or prize draws, that have the same psychological mechanics as gambling. These products normalise the idea of winning or losing money and being bought into a deeply immersive experience.

By encountering these products, young people may not realise they are being introduced to gambling, potentially shaping their future engagement in a harmful way. 

The UKGC’s annual report and wider evidence roadmap are specifically focused on researching how children first encounter these gateway behaviours. 

The UKGC’s protective measures

The UKGC strictly mandates that operators must have protections in place to prevent children from accessing age-restricted gambling products. They have previously implemented changes from the Gambling Act Review White Paper, which they have promised to continue in the latest report:

• Strict age verification: This mandates that all land-based licensees (including small companies) must carry out tests to check if ages are being verified. 

• Raising the challenge age: Operators are now required to check the age of any customer who appears to be under 25, instead of 21 (this is known as ‘Challenge 25’). 

The broader regulatory framework includes the Advertising Standards Agency, which is focused on protecting young people by banning gambling adverts that could potentially appeal to them.

The UKGC also plans on deepening its research into gambling experiences and involvement of gateway products as part of its wider evidence roadmap. Miller believes that

“Every year this report further strengthens understanding of the relationship between young people and gambling”.

The road ahead

The 2025 Young People and Gambling Report presents a rising tide in youth participation in ‘gateway’ activities, which threatens to normalise harmful behaviours. The UKGC’s commitment to action, such as age verification, serves as a defence against this trend. 

Moving forward, the commission’s work is focused on deepening its understanding of these gateway products to protect children and young people from future gambling harm. 

As Executive Director Tim Miller asserts,

“we use the data to continuously keep under review and, where needed, strengthen the suite of protections for young people”. 

This data-driven approach ensures that the UKGC remains vigilant, adapting its protective measures annually to secure a safer gambling environment for Britain’s youth.