Children's gambling participation falls in the UK

The UK regulator Gambling Commission has published its Young People and Gambling 2026 report. According to the report, gambling participation among children aged 11 to 17 across the UK has declined. The survey received responses from 3,867 students. The commission has been conducting this survey every year since 2022.

In the past year, 26% of children gambled with their own money. This rate was 30% in 2025 and remains below the 50% peak in the 2022 report. However, most participation took place in legal products or in games without an age limit. The share of children who took part in age-restricted gambling was 5%. This rate was 18% in 2025.

The most popular product was arcade gaming machines. 19% of respondents played these machines in the past year. The share of students who placed bets with friends or family was 11%, and the share who put money down while playing cards was 5%. Among age-restricted products, fruit or slot machines led with 3%. National Lottery scratchcards and draws, mobile sports betting and online casino games were each recorded at 1%.

The report also measured how often children encounter gambling. 89% of children said they had seen or heard a gambling advertisement or promotion in the past year. The most common exposure was social media ads at 55%. Livestreaming and video sharing platforms followed at 53%, television at 52%, and other apps at 51%. The share of young people who follow gambling content on social media was 15%. Of this group, 38% said that the influencers, content creators or streamers they follow promoted gambling content.

Off screen, 35% of students said they had seen a family member who lives with them gamble. This rate rose to 46% among young people who actively take part in gambling. The commission also drew attention to the link between gambling and video games, noting that some gambling elements are present in video games.