British study finds some students spend more on gambling than groceries

Gamstop and YGAM have called for more gambling education and support at British universities 

UK.- The UK’s Fourth Annual Student Gambling Survey has found that 10 per cent of male student gamblers spend more on gambling than groceries and struggle to afford food due to gambling harm. Commissioned by the UK gambling exclusion provider Gamstop and YGAM, the study found that one in 10 students gambled between £51 and £100 per week while male students’ average spend was £33.54 compared to £36 per week on groceries.

The study conducted by Censuswide surveyed 2,000 students from universities in 17 UK cities. Almost half of respondents said they had gambled at least once in the prior 12 months. More than one in six of those were found to be problem gamblers, which is a significantly higher rate than that of the general population. Some 17 per cent were deemed high-risk gamblers under the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) and 29 per cent were found to be moderate-risk.

Meanwhile, 17 per cent of respondents said they used their student loan to fund gambling, and 45 per cent of all students and 50 per cent of males said they gambled “to make money”. Some 23 per cent of Asian student gamblers experienced problem gambling and 21 per cent of all respondents said they had invested in cryptocurrency.

Fiona Palmer, Chief Executive Officer of Gamstop. said: “The Student Gambling Survey is an important piece of research that confirms the need for targeted support for the student community. Although gambling has decreased slightly in universities, the risk of gambling harm is far higher than in the general population and students need to be educated about the consequences of gambling in the expectation of making money.

“We know from the university roadshows we run with YGAM that there is an appetite amongst students to learn more about the support available, which includes self-exclusion to take a break from gambling.”

Concerns were also raised about the awareness and accessibility of support services. Over half of respondents were aware of the support at their university, but many expressed a lack of confidence in accessing such services.

GamStop and YGAM urged universities to implement prevention education initiatives that consider cultural differences and diverse backgrounds and to add gambling harm prevention to general student wellbeing strategies. The charities also said universities should improve staff training and do more to communicate the support services already available. They said more research was needed on the gap between students’ motivation to gamble for financial gain and the reality of financial losses.

YGAM itself will work with the NUS Charity to launch a university campaign dubbed Silence the Stigma. The aim is to increase awareness and encourage students to recognise gambling harm among peers. It will be launched at Queen Mary University of London today (March 6).

Dr Jane Rigbye, Chief Executive Officer at YGAM, said: “YGAM is now working with universities in every region of the UK, and while we welcome the decrease in the number of students experiencing gambling-related harms, students remain a cohort that engages in gambling in significant numbers.

“This makes our collaboration with universities essential to ensuring they have the tools to effectively support and safeguard students. It is important to recognise trends and understand the factors influencing these behaviours, including economic and social pressures. With much of student life now digital and online, we must continue to guide and educate to increase understanding and build resilience against the potential harms of gambling.”

Last month, Gamstop reported that it had seen a surge in gambling self-exclusion requests from under-25s. It says the number of under 25s using its service rose by 31 per cent in the second half of 2024.

Those aged 16-24 represented 24 per cent of new Gamstop registrants in the period. The provider suggests that this represents a shift towards younger players seeking self-exclusion. It identifies this age group as the most at risk of developing problem gambling.