UK Study Reveals: One in Ten Male Students Spend More on Gambling Than on Food Expenses
Hell, Let's Talk About Gambling Addiction Among UK Students! (Published on: 04.03.2025, Updated on: 29.04.2025)
Study Reveals Alarming Gambling Habits Among UK StudentsGamstop, the UK's gambling self-exclusion organization, has made a shocking revelation through its recent study - nearly every tenth male student spends up to a hundred pounds weekly on online casinos and sports betting. This bizarre finding shows that these students are prioritizing gambling over food (Symbol image) © Wikipedia.
Students Gambling Away Their Food MoneyThe new study by Gamstop, published on March 3, shows that students in the UK are increasing their gambling risk (Link in English). The study calculates that every tenth male student spends between £51 and £100 weekly on gambling, while the average expenditure for all male students is £33.54. The worrying part is that many students can no longer afford food because their gambling money is already spent.
Fiona Palmer, CEO of Gamstop, expressed her concerns stating, "Although gambling at universities has slightly decreased, the risk of gambling addiction among students remains significantly higher than in the general population. Students need to be educated about the consequences of gambling in the hope of making money."
Students Gambling Beyond Their MeansThe survey is based on the annual Student Gambling Survey conducted by market research group Censuswide. The study, commissioned by Gamstop and YGAM, a charity dedicated to education and prevention in the field of gambling addiction, reveals that nearly half of all student gamblers spend more than they can afford. Furthermore, 17% of respondents are at a high risk of gambling addiction. Online sports betting is particularly prevalent, with 25% of male students betting on average 91 days a year.
UK Students and Gambling: Escape from RealityA recent study by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) also showed that many Britons use gambling as an escape from everyday life. Gamstop warns about another rising concern - loot boxes, considering them linked to gambling expenditures among UK students, with half of students considering random in-game purchases as gambling and 66% already spending money on them. Within the last 12 months, 21% of respondents have also invested in cryptocurrencies, with male students twice as likely to do so.
To combat this alarming increase in gambling among UK students, multiple measures are being considered or implemented to provide education, support, and regulation on campuses. These include research, workshops, counselling services, collaboration with regulatory bodies, and the integration of gambling education into the curriculum. The primary focus remains on prevention and support, rather than just remediation. But specific details on the implementation of these measures are yet to be made widely available.
- The study by Gamstop reveals that the average weekly gambling expenditure for all male students is £33.54, while nearly every tenth spends up to a hundred pounds on online casinos and sports betting, highlighting that some students are prioritizing gambling over food.
- The survey conducted by Censuswide, commissioned by Gamstop and YGAM, reveals that almost half of all student gamblers spend more than they can afford, with 17% of respondents at a high risk of gambling addiction, particularly in online sports betting.
- The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) study shows that many Britons use gambling as an escape from reality, and Gamstop warns about another potential issue - loot boxes, which are linked to gambling expenditures among UK students, with half of students considering random in-game purchases as gambling and 66% already spending money on them.
