Statistics and research release
Statistics on gambling participation – Wave 1, January to May 2026: Official statistics
Findings from the Gambling Survey for Great Britain: Statistics on gambling participation
Summary
Also published recently
The data being released today is the latest edition of the Gambling Commission’s Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB) conducted by the National Centre for Social Research. A nationally representative sample of 5,277 adults aged 18 and over were surveyed during the period 19 January 2026 to 26 May 2026.
Further details on the GSGB methodology can be found in the GSGB Wave 1 (2026) report and the GSGB technical report.
The GSGB, like most other surveys, collects information from a sample of the population. Statistics based on surveys are estimates, rather than precise figures, and are subject to a margin of error (a 95% confidence interval). All surveys have strengths and limitations and we have outlined the strengths and limitations of our approach in the data analysis and reporting section of the technical report .
We have also guidance available on how to use the statistics from the GSGB.
Key facts
Overall participation in any gambling activity (in the past 4 weeks) was 49%. This figure continues to remain stable over time.
When we exclude those who only took part in a lottery draw in the past 4 weeks from the overall gambling participation rate, gambling participation falls to 28%. This means approximately one fifth of adults in Great Britain (21%) only took part in lottery draws (either National Lottery or other charity lottery draws) in the past 4 weeks.
Overall participation varies by sex, where a higher proportion of males report gambling in the past 4 weeks than females (53% and 44% respectively). Overall gambling participation is highest among those aged 45 to 64 (56% to 59%).
However, when those who only participated on a lottery draw are excluded, the age profile shifts downward, showing that those aged 35 to 44 have the highest gambling participation rates in the past 4 weeks (35%).
Overall, the most popular gambling activities after lottery draws are scratchcards (13%), betting (10%), and online instant win games (8%). When looking at participation in the most popular activities by sex, there is little variation between male and female participation in scratchcards and online instant win games. However, a significantly higher proportion of males report betting in the past 4 weeks than females (16% and 4% respectively).
The online gambling participation rate (in the past 4 weeks) was 39%, which falls to 16% when lottery draw only players are removed. This is consistent with figures we saw for the same time last year.
The most popular online gambling activities in the past 4 weeks were buying tickets for a National Lottery draw online (25%), buying tickets for other charity lottery draws online (15%) and online instant win games (8%).
The in person gambling participation rate (in the past 4 weeks) was 29%, which falls to 18% when lottery draw only players are removed.
The most popular in person gambling activities in the past 4 weeks were buying tickets for a National Lottery draw (15%), buying a scratchcard (13%) and buying tickets for another charity lottery draw in-person (6%). Following lottery draws and scratchcards, the next most popular in person activities in the past 4 weeks were playing bingo at a venue, betting on sports and racing in person and playing fruit and slots in person (all 3%).
Gambling ‘for the chance to win big money' and ‘because it’s fun’ remain the most popular reasons people gave for gambling in the past 12 months. Adults aged 18 to 24 remain the only age group where ‘because it’s fun’ was the most common reason, rather than monetary motives.
Overall, 42% of people who reported gambling in the last 12 months felt positive about the last time they spent money gambling, followed by an additional 3% who felt neutral towards their last gambling experience.
Details
The statistics presented in this report comprise our official statistics on gambling participation. The data presented from the GSGB is not directly comparable to previous gambling survey publications due to changes in the methodology.
The next quarterly publication in this series, Wave 2 April to July, 2026, will be released on 3 December 2026.
Notes
This publication is primarily for anyone who has an involvement or interest in the gambling industry including government, licensed operators, trade bodies, international regulators, journalists, academic researchers, financial institutions, statisticians, consumers and local authorities.
For guidance on how to correctly report and/or use the data from the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB), see the guidance page.
About the status of official statistics.
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We are always keen to hear how these statistics are used and would welcome your views on this publication.