Gambling has captivated humanity for thousands of years, from ancient dice games in Ancient China to today’s sophisticated online casino sites. But does the allure of gambling continue to captivate UK adults in 2025? And what forms of betting are the most popular?
We reveal all of this and more, including how our betting habits differ by gender, age and location. So buckle up and cash in on the latest statistics, facts and figures on gambling 2025.
Gambling Statistics: Key Takeaways of 2025
In a hurry? Not to worry – here are the main findings from our research:
- In 2025, two thirds of UK adults place a bet or gamble at least once a month.
- Nearly twice as many men than women gamble on a monthly basis.
- 25-34 year-olds are the most likely to gamble frequently, with 87% of this age group gambling or betting monthly.
- Cardiff has a higher percentage of gamblers than any other part of the UK (72.5%).
- The most common form of gambling in the UK is the Lotto, with nearly a third playing monthly (31.6%). This is followed by online sports betting, playing the Euromillions and online bingo.
How many UK adults gamble in 2025? And who’s most likely to do so?
Gambling is undoubtedly popular in the UK, with millions participating in various activities from online slots to traditional sports betting. But just how widespread is gambling participation in 2025? To find out, we surveyed a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults in June 2025 using market research company, Censuswide. The results found that:
- Nearly two thirds (66.4%) of people in the UK gamble or place a bet at least once a month.
- Men are nearly twice as likely to gamble than women, with more than three quarters of men (77%) gambling monthly, compared with just over half (56%) of women.
- 25-34 year-olds are the most likely to gamble regularly, with 87% saying they do so at least once a month.
- This is followed by 35-44 year olds (76%), 45-54 year-olds (64%) and those aged 55+ (58%).
- The UK age group that gambles least frequently however, is those aged 16-24, with 57% placing bets on a monthly basis.
| Age Group | Percentage who Bet or Gamble at least once a month |
| 16-24 | 57% |
| 25-34 | 87% |
| 35-44 | 76% |
| 45-54 | 64% |
| 55+ | 58% |
Where in the UK is gambling most popular?
So now we know which gender and age group bets most frequently – but do our gambling tendencies differ by location? Do those in bustling city centres enjoy a good wager the most? Or is it those in more rural areas? Our findings show:
- Cardiff is the gambling capital of the UK, with 72.5% saying they place a bet or gamble at least once a month.
- London follows in close second, with 71.9% of people gambling monthly.
- Those in Sheffield and Birmingham are also partial to a punt (71%).
- The UK city that gambles least frequently however, is Plymouth, where 55% gamble or bet each month.
What’s the most popular type of gambling in the UK?
From choosing numbers on the lottery ahead of the weekend, to trying your luck at the casino, bets can come in all different shapes and sizes. But what is the UK’s favourite form of gambling in 2025? According to the data from our survey:
Playing the Lotto is the most popular form of betting, with nearly a third (31.6%) of UK adults saying they do so every month.
Online sports betting is the second most popular (24%), then playing the Euromillions (21.5%).
Online bingo is also a monthly favourite for 17% of the population, with betting on horse racing and online slots following closely behind (15%).
| Betting/Gambling Activity | Percentage of UK Adults who Participate Monthly |
| Playing the Lotto | 32.60% |
| Online Sports Betting | 24.15% |
| Playing the Euromillions | 21.55% |
| Online Bingo | 17.15% |
| Betting on Horse Racing | 15.05% |
| Online Slots | 14.95% |
| Online Casino Games | 13.80% |
| Visiting a Betting Shop | 12.95% |
| Playing any other type of Draw Game similar to Lotto | 10.65% |
| Attending Horse Racing Events | 8.25% |
| Visiting a Casino in Person | 7.80% |
| Betting on Dog racing | 6.40% |
| Attending Dog Racing Events | 6.00% |
National lottery statistics: Who’s most likely to play the lotto in 2025?
Founded in 1994, the National Lottery has now been running for over 30 years, becoming an ingrained part of British life for many. In that time, over £95 million has been won by players, turning over 7,400 people into millionaires and multi-millionaires. Our survey found that the Lotto is the most popular form of betting in the UK, but who’s most likely to play? According to our findings:
- The Lotto is played monthly by nearly a third of the UK population (32.5%).
- 45-54 year-olds are the most likely to play the Lotto, with 42% playing on a monthly basis.
- This is followed by those aged 55+ (38%), 35-44 year-olds (35.5%), 25-34 year-olds (23%) and 16-24 year olds (15%).
- More men than women play the Lotto each month (35% vs 30%).
- And Liverpool is home to a higher proportion of Lotto players than any other part of the UK, with 38% playing monthly.
- The Lotto is also popular amongst cities such as Brighton (37.7%), Glasgow (36.8%) and Newcastle (36.5%).
Sports betting statistics: How popular is sports betting in the UK?
Our survey revealed that the second most popular form of gambling in 2025 is online sports betting. From quick flutters on the Premier League to carefully researched horse racing odds, there’s so much variety in the world of online sports betting. But which demographics are most likely to participate? Our research found:
- Nearly a quarter of UK adults place bets on sports online each month (24%).
- More than half of 25-34 year-olds partake in online sports betting at least once a month (52%), making them the most likely age group to do so.
- This is followed by 35-44 year-olds (37%), 16-24 year-olds (20%), 45-54 year-olds (17.5%) and lastly, just 11% of those aged 55 and over.
- More than three times as many men than women participate in online sports betting on a monthly basis.
- Nearly a third of people in London and Manchester (31%) place online bets on sports each month, higher than any other part of the UK.
- Every month in the UK, an average of 19,000 online searches are made for the term ‘football betting’ – a higher volume than another sport.
| Query | Estimated Average Monthly Searches (UK, 2024-25) |
| Football Betting | 19,000 |
| Cricket Betting | 3,100 |
| Formula 1 betting | 2,600 |
| Tennis Betting | 1,800 |
| Rugby Betting | 1,600 |
| Basketball Betting | 420 |
| American Football Betting | 320 |
All search volumes were obtained from kwfinder.com in June 2025, and reflect an estimate of the average number of searches in the last 12 months.
- As of 2024, the global sports betting industry was worth $100.91 billion, and is predicted to increase to $232.53 billion by 2032.
Online bingo figures: how many people play in 2025?
The 1960s saw the boom of bingo here in the UK, with old dance halls and cinemas repurposed into the country’s first ever bingo halls, each filled with lively personalities, iconic dabbers and of course – the triumphant calls of “bingo!”
Fast forward to 2025, and bingo games can now be accessed instantaneously from almost anywhere in the world thanks to the development of robust online platforms and mobile-first technology. This begs the question – which demographics participate in online bingo most often? Our survey revealed:
- 1 in 6 UK adults play online bingo monthly (17%).
- 25-34 year-olds play online bingo most frequently, with over a quarter (26%) playing on a monthly basis.
- 35-44 year-olds are the second most frequent online bingo players (24%), followed by 16-24 year-olds (18.5%), 45-54 year-olds (16%) and finally, those aged 55+ (10.5%).
- Online bingo games are slightly more popular amongst men than women, with 19% of men and 15.5% of women playing monthly.
- Cardiff is the online bingo capital of the UK, with a quarter of residents playing every single month.
- According to figures from Data Bridge Market Research, the global online bingo gambling market was worth $74.87 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach $181.44 billion by 2032.
Horse racing statistics: demographics at the races
As the UK’s second most-attended spectator sport, horse-racing has captured the attention of a wide range of audiences. From Kings and Queens to casual fans enjoying a day out, and racing
fanatics. With vibrant atmospheres at each fixture, the sport brings together a blend of tradition and thrill, bringing people together through a shared love for the rush of the race. But who makes up these exciting crowds?
- More than 1 in 7 UK adults bet on horse racing monthly (15%).
- 1 in 12 attend horse racing events on a monthly basis (8%).
- Far more 25-34 year-olds bet on horse racing (32%) or attend the races (24%) than any other age group, with 35-44 year-olds being the second most likely to do so.
- Betting on horse racing is least common amongst 16-24 year-olds (6.5%). Whilst in-person attendance of horse races is least common among those aged 55 and over.
- Men are more than twice as likely as women to place monthly bets on horse racing (22% vs 8.5%).
- Horse racing events are also more popular amongst men, with three times as many men than women saying they attend monthly (13% vs 4%).
- Belfast is the horse racing capital of the UK, with a higher proportion of monthly attendees than any other major city.
Popularity of casinos, online casino games and slots
From weekends spent in swanky casino halls to quick spins on mobile apps, in-person and more recently, online casino games have become a staple for those seeking the thrill of a roll of the dice or the spin of a slot. So, just how popular are these forms of gambling in 2025? And which demographics frequent them most?
- 15% of UK adults play online slot games each month. They’re more popular amongst men than women (19% vs 11%) and most frequently played by those aged 25-34.
- Online casino games are played monthly by 14% of the population, and again are most favoured by men, with twice as many men as women playing each month (19.5% vs 8.5%). 25-34 year-olds are also the most likely age group to play.
- An average of 55,000 searches are made each month in the UK for the term ‘online slots’ – the the equivalent of one search every 48 seconds.
| Query | Estimated Average Monthly Searches (UK, 2024-25) |
| Online Slots | 55,000 |
| Online Poker | 5,800 |
| Online Roulette | 4,100 |
| Online Blackjack | 2,900 |
| Online Baccarat | 340 |
- When it comes to in-person casinos, 1 in 12 UK adults attend monthly, predominantly men aged 25-34.
- More people in Cardiff and London visit in-person casinos than any other UK city.
- Tens of thousands of people in the UK head to Google each month to find out how common casino games are played. The most sought-after rules are for poker, with ‘how to play poker’ receiving 13,900 searches per month on average.
| Query | Estimated Average Monthly Searches (UK, 2024-25) |
| How to play Poker | 13,900 |
| How to play Blackjack | 6,900 |
| How to play Bingo | 2,800 |
| How to play Baccarat | 2,200 |
| How to play Roulette | 1,500 |
- While our survey asked over 16s only, a 2024 study from the Gambling Commission found that 8% of 11-18 year-olds in the UK have experienced online gambling in the past year.
Betting shop statistics UK
With the rise of online games and the ease of mobile apps – does anyone still go to the bookies in person to place their bets? Our survey found:
- 13% of the UK population visits a betting shop at least once a month in 2025.
- Over a quarter of 25-34 year-olds go to in-person betting shops, far more than any other age group.
- More than three times as many men than women attend betting shops each month in the UK (6% vs 20%).
- More people in Nottingham visit betting shops at least once a month than any other part of the UK (18.75%).
- Despite continued popularity amongst some, the number of in-person betting shops in the UK has gradually declined over time – from over 16,000 at their peak in the 1970s, to just 5,931 in 2024.
The Bottom Line on Betting in 2025
From casual participation in the National Lottery to frequent engagement with online sports betting and casino games, it’s clear that gambling is still a firmly ingrained part of today’s society. With developments in AI and immersive technologies, it’ll be interesting to see just how much the gambling landscape and its demographics evolve in 2026 and beyond!
