The influence of social media on students’ gambling engagement is continuing to grow, according to the latest study from Ygam.
As social media platforms continue to be infiltrated by unlicensed operators, a concerning 34% of the students who gambled said that social media has a key influence on their gambling behaviour.
Emily Tofield, Chief Executive Officer of Ygam, commented: “It’s clear that the digital world students are so immersed in is increasingly influencing gambling behaviours, and we must all be responsive to these new and emerging risks to ensure students have access to the education and support needed to safeguard them.”
It follows the warnings of the UK Gambling Commission around social media advertising of unlicensed operators, as they emphasised concerns around “very limited progress” being made by platforms.
Earlier this year, Tim Miller, the UKGC’s Executive Director of Research and Policy, called out Meta, stating: “I would be very surprised if Meta, as one of the world’s largest tech companies, is incapable of proactively using their own keyword facility to prevent the advertising of illegal gambling. It could leave you with the impression they are quite happy to turn a blind eye and continue taking money from criminals and scammers until someone shouts about it.”
Speaking at the Illegal Gambling Prevention Summit last week, Rob Mabbett of Better Change warned that the UKGC is going it alone in facing a David vs Goliath battle against the black market and its advertising.
He emphasised that young people are increasingly at risk as a result of content on social media platforms, through connection with influencers, celebrities, YouTubers and a whole new digital universe.
According to Mabbett, there needs to be a more adequate procedure in the regulation of big tech and social platforms. He warned that the regulated sector is at the whim of ‘so many policy decisions that are made’ but are not ‘scrutinised or tested’.
The influence of social media is on the rise, with fewer than one in four students citing it as an influence in the first of Ygam’s student gambling surveys conducted in 2022.
Tofield also called on universities and student unions to address gambling harms with the same focus as other risky behaviours, such as drinking and drug use. This echoes recommendations from the coroner investigating the death of Lee Adams, a gambling addict who died in 2020 after overdosing on beta blockers following a late-night gambling binge.
Julian Morris, Senior Coroner for Inner South London, recommended that doctors should inquire about gambling habits in the same way they would about smoking or drinking.
Ygam numbers also detailed that some students are even spending significantly more money on gambling than on food.
The charity found that the average gambling spend was £50.33, leading to Ygam arguing that this means that some students are spending more money on gambling than on food, given that the National Student Money Survey states that students spend £33.70 on average on groceries each week.
65% of students have gambled in the last 12 months, according to the study, a decrease from the 78% observed in the first year of the Annual Student Gambling Survey conducted in 2022.
The proportion of students experiencing gambling harms has also fallen from 24% in 2023 to 18% in 2026.
Further data from the survey found that just over half of student gamblers said their primary motivation was to make money. Male students are also more likely to gamble than females, and the mean spending by male students who gamble is more than double that of females.
Concerns over rising spending mirror figures released earlier this month by GamCare, which said that the number of people seeking financial guidance through its Money Guidance Services doubled in 2025.
Meanwhile, the amount of debt reported by people more than doubled from £2.8m in 2024 to £7.2m last year, meaning an average debt of £21,269 per person.
Rising awareness
In more reassuring news, Ygam reported that 58% of students who gamble say they are aware of the gambling support available, and 69% say they are confident in accessing it.
Further data from GamStop revealed that 60,000 under-25s are registered with GamStop, a 75% increase over the last five years.
Fiona Palmer, CEO of The Gamstop Group, added: “The Annual Student Gambling Survey reveals a worrying lack of awareness about the risks of gambling in the student community and the impact on students who struggle to control their gambling, but it is encouraging to see more awareness of the support available.”
The release of this data comes as the UK is currently transitioning to a new model of funding for gambling harm treatment led by the NHS through the Statutory Levy. However, concerns continue to rise over the effectiveness of the new regime as charities begin to receive news of whether they will receive funding from the government.
The findings of the study from Ygam and GamStop demonstrate the importance of maintaining effective gambling harm treatment to ensure that players of any age can continue to receive the required help when needed.
