A Gamstop study published today (3 March) has reported that 10% UK male student gamblers are spending more on betting each week than they are on groceries.

One in ten students stated that they gambled between £51-£100 each week. With the same number reporting that they have struggled to afford food due to gambling harm.

Male students’ average spend on gambling overall was found to be £33.54, this is compared to the National Student Money Survey 2024’s claim that the average grocery spend each week was £36 among students.

The Annual Student Gambling Survey report was conducted by market research group Censuswide and involved 2,000 university students sampled from across 17 UK cities. It was commissioned by national self-exclusion entity Gamstop and charity Ygam (Young Gamblers Education Trust).

This is the fourth iteration of the report, last year’s found almost half of UK university students who bet were spending more than they could afford to gamble.

It reported that 17% of surveyed students were designated as “high risk” of gambling harm, while 49% said they had gambled at least once in the previous 12 months

Looking at specific verticals, 25% of male students took part in online sports betting and placed bets an average of 91 days of the year. Betting was found to be the most popular form of gambling amongst students.

In terms of what motivates students to gamble, the study found almost one in two students (45%) gambled “to make money”.

On risky gambling behaviours, 40% of the sample said gambling had affected their university experience and one in ten have struggled to afford food.

Just over half of students (53%) said they were aware of support systems available at their universities.

Gamstop finds link between lootboxes and gambling

Turning to gaming, one in two of the respondents said they viewed randomised in-game item purchases like lootboxes as gambling. While 66% of students who were questioned said that they previously had paid for a random chance item purchase in games.

Of the students surveyed in the last 12 months, 21% said they had invested in cryptocurrency. Males were twice as likely to invest in digital currencies than their female counterparts.

The report has recommended that there is more targeted prevention education around gambling among young people, which takes into consideration the cultural difference of students.

It has also put forward that universities should make gambling harm prevention and support an “integral part” of plans to improve student wellbeing.  

Gamstop CEO Fiona Palmer said in statement: “Although gambling has decreased slightly in universities, the risk of gambling harm is far higher than in the general population and students need to be educated about the consequences of gambling in the expectation of making money.

“We know from the university roadshows we run with Ygam that there is an appetite amongst students to learn more about the support available, which includes self-exclusion to take a break from gambling.”

Earlier this month, Gamstop reported a 31% year-on-year rise in the number of people under the age of 25 that had registered for its service during the second half of 2024.