Young People and Gambling Report 2026 Published by the Gambling Commission for England, Scotland, Wales

Fewer young people in Britain are gambling than a year ago, and the shift is large enough to be statistically significant. That is the headline finding of the Gambling Commission’s Young People and Gambling Report 2026, which the regulator uses to guide regulatory action and shape how it protects children and vulnerable young people. For operators and compliance teams, it offers a current read on where underage exposure stands and where the Commission is likely to focus next.

What the Young People and Gambling Report 2026 Found

The report found that 74% of 11 to 17 year-olds said they had never gambled, a statistically significant increase from last year’s figure of 69.6%. It is based on a survey of 3,867 young people completing an online questionnaire at academies, maintained and independent schools in England, Scotland and Wales.

The report provides a current picture of how young people experience and interact with gambling, including products that are age-restricted as well as those that are not. It found that 26% of 11 to 17 year-olds had spent their own money on gambling in the last year, with the majority of this gambling legal or not on age-restricted products.

A smaller group, 5% of 11 to 17 year-olds, reported spending their own money on age-restricted gambling products. The proportion reporting negative consequences of gambling, such as missing school, lying to friends or family, or spending dinner money on gambling, was 0.9% this year compared with 1.2% last year, with no statistically significant change.

Legal and Unrestricted Activities for 11 to 17 Year-Olds

The Commission sets strict protection duties on operators so that children cannot reach age-restricted products, such as placing a bet in a bookmakers or playing an online casino. Alongside those products, a number of gambling activities remain legal or carry no age restriction for this group.

The most common of these activities, with this year’s reported engagement rates, were playing arcade gaming machines such as penny pusher or claw grab machines at 19%, placing a bet for money between friends or family at 11%, and playing cards with friends or family for money at 5%.

Participation Trends From 2022 to 2026

Looking across the annual surveys from 2022 to 2026, participation has fallen overall, though the Commission notes the figures moved up and down in the intervening years rather than in a straight line. The proportion of young people who had experienced gambling in the last 12 months fell from 50% in 2022 to 45% in 2026.

The number who spent their own money on gambling declined from 31% to 26% over the same period. As in previous years, the report also explores exposure to advertising, including on social media, and the relationship between gambling and gaming.

What the Commission Said

Ben Haden, Director of Research and Statistics, said: “The Commission’s focus is on ensuring that children and young people are not able to spend money on age-restricted gambling products, with an appreciation of the wider context. This is an important survey that provides one perspective on that question as we seek to protect children and vulnerable young people.”

The research was conducted in schools, with pupils completing online self-completion surveys during class time. As the survey relies on self-reported responses, the Commission says the findings should be interpreted as estimates of young people’s reported experiences and behaviours rather than independently verified measures of their activity.

How the Survey Was Conducted

The research was conducted in schools, with pupils completing online self-completion surveys during class time. As the survey relies on self-reported responses, the Commission says the findings should be interpreted as estimates of young people’s reported experiences and behaviours rather than independently verified measures of their activity. The Commission also notes that the DSM-IV-MR-J screening instrument used in the survey is not a clinical diagnosis, and that the data should not be read as a measure of addiction levels.

Source: Gambling Commission