UK Gambling Harm and Demand for Support Both Rising, Landmark GambleAware Survey Finds

• A major new survey from GambleAware shows that both the prevalence of gambling harm and the demand for support are increasing in Great Britain.
• The proportion of at-risk gamblers wanting help for their gambling has nearly doubled since 2020, rising from 17% to 30%.
• The number of adults classified as being at any risk of harm ( PGSI 1+) grew to 15.6% in 2024, with the figure soaring to 25.4% among young adults aged 18-34.
• The survey also highlights the scale of “affected others,” with an estimated 4.3 million people negatively impacted by someone else’s gambling.
• The findings come as GambleAware prepares to hand over its responsibilities to the new statutory levy system, providing a crucial evidence base for the incoming commissioners.

One of the final landmark pieces of research from the outgoing UK charity GambleAware has painted a concerning picture of the state of gambling in Great Britain. The 2024 Annual Treatment and Support Survey reveals a dual trend of rising gambling harm, particularly among young adults, and a sharply increasing demand for treatment and support services.

The report, based on research by YouGov across approximately 18,000 people, is a critical final benchmark of the public health situation before GambleAware closes in March 2026 and the new government-led statutory system takes over. “ While it is encouraging that more people have sought help, this rise may also point to a growing public health crisis,” warned Zoë Osmond, Chief Executive of GambleAware.

The Key Data: Harm Concentrated in Young Adults

While overall gambling participation remained stable at 61% of adults, the survey’s data on harm shows a worrying trend. Key findings from the Problem Gambling Severity Index ( PGSI) include:

• The proportion of adults in the PGSI 1+ category (classified as being at low, moderate, or high risk of harm) has risen to 15.6% in 2024, up from 13.1% in 2023.
• This increase is most pronounced among young adults aged 18-34, where the at-risk figure has jumped from 19.7% to 25.4% in just one year.

The survey also powerfully illustrates the wider social impact of gambling. An estimated 8.1% of adults-equivalent to about 4.3 million people-reported being negatively affected by someone else’s gambling, a significant increase from 6% in 2020.

New Insights: Prize Draws and Cost of Living

For the first time, the survey also examined participation in prize draws. It found that while many participants don’t consider them to be a form of gambling, they are highly popular with those experiencing harm. Two-thirds ( 67%) of problem gamblers had taken part in a prize draw in the past year, and 11% of all prize draw participants met the criteria for problem gambling.

The report also highlighted the impact of the cost-of-living crisis, with a concerning 43% of existing problem gamblers stating that they were gambling more because of financial pressures.

A Final Benchmark for a New Era

This comprehensive survey provides a clear and challenging evidence base for the new government-appointed commissioners who will soon be responsible for allocating the funds from the statutory levy. The findings show that they will be inheriting a problem that appears to be growing in both scale and complexity, particularly among younger demographics.

The report also found overwhelming public support for tougher advertising rules, with over 90% of respondents in favour of banning gambling ads on television and social media platforms aimed at children. This final, detailed report from GambleAware will now play a crucial role in shaping future policy in a new era of British gambling regulation.