Great Britain’s annual gambling survey recorded limited movement in overall participation during 2025, with 47% of adults reporting that they had gambled during the previous four weeks.
The third Gambling Survey for Great Britain covers gambling participation, attitudes, motivations and consequences during 2025. Its publication establishes three consecutive years of comparable data, covering the period from 2023 through 2025.
The National Centre for Social Research conducted the study in partnership with the University of Glasgow. Researchers collected responses from 20,775 adults across Great Britain between January 2025 and January 2026. The annual sample has grown by approximately 1,000 respondents since the previous edition.
The survey uses a nationally representative “push-to-web” system. Researchers recruit participants through offline channels before inviting them to complete an online questionnaire. Approximately 20,000 adults take part each year, placing the study among the largest dedicated gambling surveys conducted internationally.
Overall Participation Changes Little
The share of respondents aged 18 and older who reported gambling during the preceding four weeks fell from 48% in the previous annual results to 47% in 2025.
Lottery-only participation continued to account for a substantial part of the total. Once respondents who participated exclusively in lottery draws were removed, the participation rate stood at 27%, remaining broadly consistent with earlier findings.
Three years of information also allow researchers to examine changes within particular demographic groups. Head of statistics Helen Bryce identified one such pattern in the results.
“In the trend data we have seen an increase in gambling amongst males aged 55 and over.”
The latest report also provides additional information about the reasons adults give for gambling. The chance of winning a large amount of money was the most frequently selected motivation, cited by 84% of gamblers.
Fun was identified by 69% of respondents, and 57% said they gambled to make money. Excitement accounted for 53% of responses.
Most gamblers described their feelings about their own gambling in favourable or neutral terms. A combined 78% selected one of those two positions when asked to assess their experience.
Tim Miller, executive director for research and policy, said the completion of the third annual report expanded the available evidence on gambling habits and their effects.
“The publication of the third annual Gambling Survey for Great Britain marks an important milestone.
“Three years of GSGB provides a richer, more timely picture of the trend in gambling in Great Britain than has previously been available. It helps us understand not only who gambles and the products they use, but also why people gamble, the range of experiences they have, and the consequences gambling can have in people's lives. This evidence is a vital part of a wider evidence base that informs policy, regulation and wider public discussion.
“We encourage researchers, policymakers, industry and the wider public to make use of these findings alongside the interactive dashboard and supplementary reports. As with all official statistics, we remain committed to ensuring GSGB continues to meet the highest standards through transparency, independent scrutiny and ongoing methodological improvement.”
PGSI Rate Moves From 2.7% to 2.4%
The percentage of adults recording a Problem Gambling Severity Index score of eight or more reached 2.4% in 2025. The previous annual survey reported 2.7%, and the first edition recorded 2.5%.
The regulator classified the figure as stable across the three-year period. The 2025 percentage represents an estimated 1.3 million adults.
A PGSI score of eight or above indicates that a person has experienced adverse consequences and may have lost control over their gambling. Scores between three and seven represent moderate-risk gambling, and scores of one or two fall within the low-risk category.
The research also considered how an individual’s gambling can affect people around them. A total of 43.2% of respondents said someone close to them gambled. Within that group, 3.3% reported seeking some form of support.
Among people who had gambled during the previous 12 months, slightly fewer than 6% said they had lied to family members about their activity at least occasionally.
Relationship breakdown was the most frequently reported severe consequence caused by another person’s gambling, affecting 3.3% of respondents.
Two supplementary reports examining gambling-related consequences accompanied the annual publication. Further reports based on the survey data are scheduled for release during the year, and the interactive dashboard has been updated with results from all three annual waves.
Survey Methods Remain Under Scrutiny
The findings prompted renewed debate about the way the survey recruits respondents and estimates gambling-related harm.
Industry representatives have argued that the process attracts a disproportionate number of gamblers and produces higher participation and harm estimates. They have also cited the latest NHS Health Survey for England, which estimated a problem gambling rate of 0.7%.
A Betting and Gaming Council spokesperson said:
“There remain well-evidenced concerns that the Gambling Survey for Great Britain substantially oversamples gamblers and therefore produces inflated participation and harm levels.
“The latest NHS Health Survey for England estimates that 0.7 per cent of adults are problem gamblers, one of the lowest rates internationally, demonstrating that Britain's robust regulatory framework is working.
“It is vital that policy remains proportionate, based on the most robust evidence available, while ensuring those who need support can access it quickly and effectively.”
The regulator has stated that direct comparisons between the survey and studies using different methods are “not appropriate”. It recommends comparing results between successive annual waves of the same survey, since the three editions apply a consistent approach.
The technical documentation acknowledges that the survey method carries strengths and weaknesses, including risks that estimates may be too high or too low. Independent reviewers have examined the methodology, and continued scrutiny forms part of the survey’s development.
One unnamed industry representative expressed stronger criticism of the regulator’s interpretation of the findings.
“The Gambling Commission has been captured by the anti-gambling lobby and that drives its thinking. It’s as simple as that. The problem gambling rate has fallen and people tell them they bet because it’s fun – yet we get chapter and verse about the consequences of gambling.”
The survey does not contain statistics measuring the use of unlicensed gambling operators in Great Britain. The Betting and Gaming Council said the government and regulator “should take urgent action to tackle the growing harmful black market, which independent experts have warned could double in size over the next five years, putting more consumers at risk by driving them towards illegal operators offering none of the protections found in the regulated market”.
Separate research commissioned by the industry group projected that the illegal market could account for 22% of online betting by 2031, up from 10% in 2025. It also forecast that illegal online gambling turnover could exceed £36 billion.
The analysis linked possible black-market growth to the increase in remote gaming duty announced in the previous year’s budget and reduced player returns within the licensed sector.
Chief executive Grainne Hurst said:
“The only winners from these tax hikes will be criminal operators based overseas. Britain will lose jobs, investment and tax revenue, while consumers are pushed towards operators offering none of the protections found in the regulated market.”
The debate over methodology is expected to continue as policymakers and researchers examine the three-year dataset. The annual series now provides consistent figures for evaluating participation and reported consequences within the survey’s own framework.
Source:
Commission publishes third annual Gambling Survey for Great Britain, gamblingcommission.gov.uk, 16 July 2026
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