The findings of a survey of university students in the UK point towards gambling prevalence being more ingrained in the student demographic.
Gambling losses continue to grow among university students in the UK, according to the latest edition of an annual survey published by Gamstop and Ygam.
The organisations have released the fifth edition of the Annual Student Gambling Survey, which surveyed 2,000 university students in the UK. It found that among students who gamble, the average amount they spend has increased significantly since 2024.
The average weekly spend among university students who gamble nearly doubled from £27.24 in 2024 to £50.33 in 2025. More than a fifth of the student population who gamble indicated that they spent more than £50 per week.
The heightened losses were recorded despite the survey suggesting that gambling participation has dropped to 65% this year, down from 78% in 2022. In addition, the proportion of students experiencing gambling harms dropped to 18% from 24% three years ago.
The survey indicates that around 65% university students took part in some form of gambling in the last year. However, the prevalence increased to some 75% among male students specifically.
After the National Lottery, the second most common type of gambling among university students was online sports betting. Among male students, four out of 10 took part in sports betting in the last year.
Gamstop CEO Fiona Palmer said: “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.”
The report points to money as a major motivation for gambling activity, with more than half of the student population who gamble indicating that they do so to make money.
The findings also indicate notable levels of risk and harm. According to the survey, 18% of students who gamble are already experiencing harm.
A further 30% were identified as being at moderate risk, while 16% were classed as low risk. Higher levels of harm were recorded among male students and among students from mixed, Black and Asian ethnic backgrounds.
Gambling interferes with student life
The effects appear to stretch beyond betting itself. Almost half of the students who gamble report that it hurt their time in university.
The problems caused included financial issues, study problems, and social experiences. In that sense, the report does not frame gambling as an isolated habit.
It places it inside the wider reality of student life, where money worries, peer influence and online exposure can coalesce.
“University should be an exciting and fulfilling experience, yet our comprehensive research has consistently shown that the students are particularly vulnerable to gambling harms,” said Ygam CEO Emily Tofield.
“It’s clear that the digital world students are so immersed in is increasingly influencing gambling behaviours, and we must all be responsive to these new and emerging risks to ensure students have access to the education and support needed to safeguard them.”
Friends and peers again proved to be the most influential factor in students’ gambling habits, which was consistent with previous surveys’ findings.
Social media now plays an even greater role than in previous surveys, however. The 2026 survey indicates that 34% of student gamblers believe that social media has an impact on gambling and this could be because it helps normalise gambling activities.
For the fourth year in a row, the survey used the short-form Problem Gambling Severity Index, or PGSI, to assess gambling-related risk.
The tool is widely regarded as the standard screening measure for gambling behaviour in the general population.
While PGSI is effective at identifying people at either end of the scale, it is less precise when separating low-risk and moderate-risk groups.
Its results depend on honest self-reporting and on how respondents interpret ideas such as guilt and financial pressure.