TLDR
Contents
- University students who gamble are now losing £50.33 weekly on average, representing a near-doubling from the previous year’s £27.24
- Student gambling participation dropped to 65% from 78% in 2022, yet active gamblers are wagering significantly larger amounts
- The proportion of students gambling primarily for profit increased from 45% to 53% between 2024 and 2025
- Cryptocurrency investment has reached 37% of the student population, with male students (51%) significantly outpacing female students (25%)
- Young adults aged 16-24 signing up for Gamstop self-exclusion increased by 40% during late 2025
Research involving 2,000 students at UK universities reveals that student gamblers are now experiencing average weekly losses exceeding £50. This represents a dramatic increase from the £27.24 recorded twelve months earlier.
Commissioned by gambling charity Ygam and self-exclusion platform Gamstop, the fifth annual Student Gambling Survey was carried out by Censuswide in December 2025. Results showed that 65% of university students had participated in gambling activities within the past year.
Though overall participation has declined from the 78% recorded in 2022, students who continue gambling are engaging with greater intensity. Metrics including weekly expenditure, betting frequency, and financial commitment have all risen substantially.
The survey identified the National Lottery as the leading gambling activity at 31%, with online sports wagering following closely at 29%. Sports betting revealed significant gender disparities, attracting 41% of male students versus just 17% of females.
Gender differences were even more pronounced in spending patterns. Male students wagered an average of £64.89 weekly, more than double the £30.93 spent by female students. Close to one-quarter of all student gamblers exceeded £50 in weekly expenditure.
Profit Motive Driving Increased Student Gambling
An expanding portion of students identified financial gain as their primary gambling motivation. Among student gamblers, 53% cited “making money” as their main objective, representing an increase from the 45% recorded in 2024.
Employment income represented the predominant funding source for gambling activities at 52%. Personal savings contributed 37%, while 21% of students acknowledged using student loan funds for gambling purposes.
Sports betting enthusiasts demonstrated the highest gambling frequency, placing wagers on approximately 116 days annually. Online slot machine players engaged roughly 103 days per year, while lottery participants averaged 65 days.
Analysis using the Problem Gambling Severity Index identified 18% of student gamblers as experiencing problematic gambling behaviors. An additional 30% fell into the moderate-risk category. Male students and those identifying as Mixed, Black, or Asian ethnicity showed elevated problem gambling indicators.
The 18% problem gambling rate does represent improvement from the 24% recorded in 2023, indicating some positive movement in prevention initiatives.
Nevertheless, approximately half of student gamblers reported negative impacts on their academic experience. Fifteen percent faced food insecurity challenges. Others sacrificed social activities, missed lectures, or failed to complete assignments. Around 6% had contemplated leaving university due to gambling-related issues.
Cryptocurrency Investment and Gaming Purchases Expand
Outside conventional gambling, 37% of surveyed students disclosed cryptocurrency investment activity. Gender patterns showed stark differences, with 51% of male students investing in crypto versus 25% of female students.
Video gaming reached 85% participation, and among gamers, 75% had bought randomized reward items such as loot boxes. This marked an increase from 66% previously. More than half of these students viewed loot box transactions as equivalent to gambling.
Social media influence on gambling decisions has grown substantially. While friends remained the primary influence at 36%, social media platforms followed closely at 34%. Analysts observed that heightened digital exposure correlates with increased spending levels and more frequent gambling sessions.
Gamstop documented a 40% surge in registrations from the 16-24 age demographic during the latter half of 2025. Current registrations from under-25s approach 60,000, representing a 75% increase across five years.
Gamstop CEO Fiona Palmer emphasized the continuing importance of self-exclusion programs. Ygam CEO Emily Tofield called on universities and student organizations to address gambling-related harm with equal priority given to alcohol and substance abuse.
January 2026 saw an unprecedented 233 referrals to the Money Guidance Service concerning gambling-related financial difficulties, nearly triple the volume recorded in January 2025.
