UK Gambling Survey Shows Stable Participation and Slight Dip in Problem Gambling Rate
2026-07-17
The third annual Gambling Survey for Great Britain shows that 47% of adults gambled in the past four weeks, with the problem gambling rate (PGSI 8+) stable at 2.4%. The survey also provides new insights into motivations and the impact of gambling on affected others.
The Gambling Commission has published the third annual Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB), covering 2025 data and providing three consecutive years of comparable trends. Conducted by the National Centre for Social Research in partnership with the University of Glasgow, the survey gathered responses from approximately 20,000 adults aged 18 and over each year.
Participation and Problem Gambling
47% of adults reported participating in any form of gambling in the past four weeks, with the figure dropping to 27% when excluding National Lottery draw-only players. These headline rates remain stable across the three survey waves. The proportion of respondents scoring eight or higher on the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), indicating problem gambling, was 2.4% in 2025 – a slight decrease from 2.7% in the previous year’s survey. The Commission notes this is stable over the three-year period, as the first wave recorded 2.5%.
Helen Bryce, the head of statistics, highlighted a sub-trend: an increase in gambling participation among males aged 55 and over across the three years of data.
Motivations and Attitudes
An expanded set of findings this year explores why adults gamble. The most frequently cited reason, chosen by 84% of respondents, was the chance of winning a large sum of money. Other common motivations included gambling being enjoyable (69%), making money (57%), and excitement (53%). The survey also found that 78% of gamblers described their feelings towards gambling as either positive or neutral.
Impact on Affected Others
For the first time, the GSGB collected data on the impact of other people's gambling. 43.2% of respondents reported that someone close to them gambled, and of those, 3.3% had sought support in some way. Among those who had gambled in the past 12 months, just under 6% said they had lied to their family at least occasionally. The most frequently reported severe consequence from someone else’s gambling was relationship breakdown, cited by 3.3% of affected others.
Data Methodology and Context
The GSGB uses a rigorous 'push-to-web' methodology, meaning participants were recruited offline before completing questionnaires online. The Commission warns that direct comparisons with surveys using different methodologies, such as the NHS Health Surveys, are not appropriate; instead, trend analysis should focus on successive GSGB waves.
Tim Miller, Executive Director for Research and Policy (soon to depart the Commission), stated: "Three years of GSGB provides a richer, more timely picture of the trend in gambling in Great Britain than has previously been available." He added that the evidence is a "vital part of a wider evidence base that informs policy, regulation and wider public discussion."
Alongside the annual report, the Commission has published two supplementary reports on gambling-related consequences, with further analysis scheduled for release later this year. An interactive Power BI dashboard has also been updated to include all three years of data.