TLDR
- UK problem gambling fell to 2.4% in 2025, down from 2.7% in 2024
- Men aged 55 and over were the only group with a measurable rise in non-lottery gambling
- Gambling participation among 18 to 24 year olds kept falling
- Help-seeking rose among 35 to 54 year olds but fell sharply among older adults affected by someone else’s gambling
- Researchers question the survey’s methods, pointing to gaps between its estimates and operator data
The UK Gambling Commission released its third annual gambling survey on July 16. It found that problem gambling rates fell in 2025, the first drop since the survey began three years ago.
The Gambling Survey for Great Britain tracks how people gamble and how many show signs of harm. The results help the regulator compare trends across age groups and genders each year.
Older Men Show Rising Participation
The overall problem gambling rate dropped to 2.4% in 2025, down from 2.7% in 2024. That figure equals about 1.3 million adults across Great Britain.
Gambling among young adults kept falling. Participation among 18 to 24 year olds dropped to 48% in 2025, compared with 52% in 2024 and 54% in 2023.
The 35 to 44 age group had the highest overall participation rate, at 66%.
One group moved the opposite direction. Men aged 55 and over were the only demographic with a measurable rise in gambling on activities other than lottery games.
Their participation rose from 27% in 2023 to 32% in 2025. Gambling within the past four weeks for this group also climbed, from 18% to 22%.
No other group, including women the same age, showed this pattern. Younger and middle-aged men both saw participation fall or stay flat over the same period.
Adults aged 65 to 74 also showed a smaller rise. Their non-lottery participation increased from 25% to 29% between 2023 and 2025.
The Gambling Commission said it does not yet know what is driving the change among older men. It called for further research into which activities this group is turning to.
Help-Seeking Patterns Shift
The survey also tracked how many people sought help for gambling problems. Among 35 to 54 year olds, the share seeking support for their own gambling rose from 2.4% in 2023 to 3.8% in 2025.
The commission said this points to more people getting support, not necessarily more people needing it.
A different trend appeared among older adults seeking help because of someone else’s gambling. That figure fell from 2.3% to 1.1% for people aged 55 and over.
Among women in that age group, the drop was steeper. The rate fell from 2.9% to 1.2% over the same two years.
The regulator pointed to a growing support gap for older women, even as gambling among older men keeps climbing. It did not explain why fewer women are asking for help.
The survey has faced criticism since it launched. Dan Waugh, a partner at Regulus Partners and a researcher at the University of Liverpool Management School, raised concerns in a June presentation.
He said the survey overstates participation in some areas. As an example, he pointed to betting exchanges, where the survey estimated between 467,499 and 611,768 users.
That compares with about 172,409 to 177,051 active customers reported by Betfair, the largest exchange in the country.
Waugh also cited Football Pools, which operates without direct competition. The survey estimated 862,961 participants, while the operator reported 108,699 unique customers.
The Gambling Commission has defended its methods. It points to an independent review and testing done before the survey launched.
NHS health surveys have found problem gambling affects under 1% of people. The GSGB places the figure at 2.4%, a gap that remains unexplained.
