Half of student gamblers bet more than they can afford, survey finds

Half of student gamblers bet more than they can afford, a survey has found.

Student gamblers are losing an estimated £32.25 each week, with about a third (31 per cent) dipping into their savings to sustain their habit, according to the poll.

Under a quarter (23 per cent) are using their student loans and one in ten spends money given by their parents, the survey of 2,000 students in the UK revealed.

A number of students said they had even contemplated dropping out of their universities altogether because their habit had become so severe.

Experts have warned that gambling has become “entrenched in university culture” with a “significant spike” in 16- to 24-year-olds seeking help for addiction.

Last month the Government announced that under-25s will only be allowed to spend a maximum of £2 per spin on online slot machines under new rules from September.

There is currently no limit on the amount that gamblers can stake on online slots.

The Annual Student Gambling Survey was carried out by the Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM), a charity that helps young people with gambling addictions.

Online sport betting was found to be the most popular form of gambling for male students, followed by the National Lottery, and online casinos.

Dog and horse racing were found to be the least popular with 7 per cent of men and 4 per cent of women doing so in the past 12 months.

Men were overall found to be 15 per cent more likely to gamble than women.

Fiona Palmer, CEO of GAMSTOP, an online service that enables gambling addicts to ban themselves from betting platforms, said: “This is the third year that we have run research and insights into the student gambling landscape, which underpins our gambling support university tour, educating students about gambling risk and signposting them to support.

“We have seen a significant spike in the number of young people registering for self-exclusion, with 16-24-year-olds making up around in one in four of GAMSTOP registrants, and this shows the importance of educating them about risk before they develop a problem.”

‘Multifaceted harms’

Dr Jane Rigbye, chief executive at Ygam, said: “Since the release of last year’s report, students have faced increased financial strain exacerbated by the ongoing cost of living crisis.

“Despite these challenges, this year’s data reveals that a majority of students are gambling, with a significant portion gambling more than they can afford.

“We know that the harms associated with gambling are multifaceted and extend beyond mere financial implications.

“With gambling entrenched in university culture, the importance of our educational programmes with students and universities cannot be overstated.

“There is a growing demand for our resources from universities that recognise the necessity of implementing harm prevention measures.”