New NHS figures contrast with regulator’s findings on problem gambling
The latest NHS Health Survey for England survey found stable rates of problem gambling.
UK.- The latest NHS figures on gambling prevalence suggest that problem gambling rates in England have remained steady. According to the NHS Health Survey for England 2024, around 5 per cent of adults are considered at risk of gambling-related problems.
That figure translates to between 4.2 and 5.8 per cent of the English population. Fewer than 1 per cent of respondents were identified as problem gamblers, while 3 per cent were identified as low-risk gamblers (PGSI scores of one to two) while 1 per cent were moderate-risk.
The study aligns with previous estimates. It marks an increase compared with the 2021 survey, which reported a problem gambling rate of 0.3 per cent, but that figure was affected by Covid-19 disruptions.
However, the figures contrast with findings from the Gambling Commission’s new Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB). Published in October 2025, the regulator’s report estimated a higher problem gambling rate of 2.7 per cent despite also using the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), which the regulator introduced in 2016 in place of the DSM-IV framework as the standard tool to measure gambling harm.
Besides different survey methods, another explanation for the variation is that the Gambling Commission’s study covers all of the UK, while the NHS study is limited to England.
Regional disparities were evident in the NHS survey. Northern England and coastal areas often associated with higher levels of deprivation showed elevated risk levels. Yorkshire and the Humber recorded the highest proportion of adults with a PGSI score of one or more at 7 per cent, followed by the North East, South East and South West at 6 per cent.
London stood at 5 per cent, while the North West, East of England, and West Midlands each reported 4 per cent. The East Midlands had the lowest rate at 3 per cent.
Meanwhile, men were more likely than women to record higher PGSI scores: 7 per cent of men scored one or more compared to 3 per cent of women. The proportion of women classed as problem gamblers was rounded down to 0 per cent in the dataset.
While the NHS notes that gambling harm rates remain relatively stable, it cautioned that the UK still has “one of the most accessible gambling markets in the world” despite recent reforms under the Gambling Act review.
Although gambling harm rates are lower than those linked to alcohol, tobacco, vaping, or obesity, the NHS data continues to fuel political and regulatory debate. The NHS is expanding its role in research, education, and treatment having taken over responsibility for commissioning gambling harm initiatives funded by the new mandatory gambling levy.
