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New research shows a quarter of all students who gamble may be experiencing harm

Published

3 years ago

February 27, 2023

Reading Time: 3 minutes

One in four students who gamble may be experiencing harm and one in two say that gambling has affected their university experience, new research has found.

The survey of 2,000 students across the UK revealed that 71% had gambled in the last 12 months. Amongst those students who had gambled in the previous year, 28% were found to be at ‘moderate risk’ and 24% had behaviour categorised as ‘problem gambling’.

The independent research carried out by Censuswide is a follow up to last year’s survey commissioned by education charity Ygam and GAMSTOP, the national online self-exclusion service.

This year the survey included the Short-form PGSI – a widely used measure of ‘problem gambling’ in the UK population – which enabled the researchers to understand the level of risk experienced by students in the sample.

Half of all respondents reported that gambling had impacted their university experience, with 13% having trouble paying for food, 10% missing lectures and tutorials, 10% saying gambling affected their assignments and grades, and 9% struggling to pay bills or for accommodation. Despite this, 45% of those who gamble were unaware of the support available to them from their universities.

Almost one in two students who gamble (48%) say they gamble to make money, but only 11% report winning money in an average week. One in three say they spend £11-£20 per week on gambling; nearly one in four (23%) spend £21-£50; and 13% spend £51-£100. 4.5%, say they gamble because they are unable to stop.

Along with savings and their own earnings, some students are borrowing money to fund their gambling, with 8% borrowing from family and friends and 6% using payday loans.

More than 40% of students have bought cryptocurrency in the last year, which is much higher than the figure for the overall population. This is perhaps not surprising given the age profile of the student population, but in a year when cryptocurrency prices plunged this may have impacted the overall financial wellbeing of this group.

The full report has been published today and includes the results of questions asked both to respondents who had gambled in the last 12 months as well as those who had not. The questions to the latter group were rephrased to further understand their view on gambling behaviour and attitudes amongst their friends.

The report makes three key recommendations:

Invest in universal prevention education in schools to help prepare young people to be resilient to the risks related to gambling before their transition to university.
Gambling harms to be considered as part of every university’s health and wellbeing strategy.
Further research to be conducted to better understand the experiences of students who gamble and how harms can be better prevented.

Dr Jane Rigbye, Chief Executive Officer at Ygam said:

“These findings give us insight into the attitudes and behaviours of students towards gambling. Building on the data published last year, we can now see that not only are a large percentage of the student population gambling on a regular basis, many of them are doing so in a way that may cause them to experience harm.

“The data further emphasises the importance of educating our young people on the risks associated with gambling. We’re working with our partners to tour university campuses across the UK to speak to students, deliver specialist training to university staff and to raise awareness. It is crucial that universities engage and take this issue seriously. We aim to work closely with many more universities to ensure they can help prevent the harms and support their students when they need it.”

Bray Ash, 29, who spent many years battling a gambling addiction as a student and is now studying to become a Mental Health nurse, said:

“For many, the research commissioned by GAMSTOP & Ygam will come as a surprise. However, for me it’s a reminder of the seriousness and proximity to gambling addiction that students face on a daily basis. During my time at university, I dealt with a severe gambling addiction that saw me confined to my room for days at a time. I spent my time in my room, alone and isolated, gambling day and night. I only left my room to buy food and on the odd occasion, I would see a friend.

“Propped up by the money from my student loan, I was able to fall into a gambling addiction that spiralled out of control until one day I managed to work up the courage to talk to my friends and family about it and get myself into rehab. At the time when I was first going through university, resources like GAMSTOP weren’t around. Now that they are and they are helping thousands of students, it’s always one of my first recommendations to anyone who feels that they might be experiencing gambling harms.”

Free Ticket Drops

GGPoker Brings Back WSOP Super Circuit with Record $180M Guarantee

Published

2 hours ago

February 24, 2026

Wladimir P.

ggpoker-brings-back-wsop-super-circuit-with-record-$180m-guarantee

GGPoker, the world’s largest online poker platform, is set to host the highly anticipated 2026 WSOP Super Circuit online tournament series, running from March 1 to March 31.

This year’s edition features an unprecedented $180 million in guaranteed prizes, solidifying GGPoker’s reputation as the premier global poker destination.

Players will compete across 18 WSOP Gold Ring events, offering the chance to win one of poker’s most prestigious trophies and significant cash prizes.

Key Events & Highlights:

#5: $525 Mystery Millions [Final Stage] – March 9, $525 buy-in, $10M GTD ($1M Top Bounty)
#13: WSOP Super Circuit MAIN EVENT [Day 2] – March 23, $1,700 buy-in, $15M GTD
#18: GGMillion$ High Roller [Day 2] – March 30, $10K buy-in, $10M GTD

Exclusive Champion Perks
Winners of all 18 Gold Ring events receive:

A $5K WSOP Paradise package
Recognition on the official WSOP Rankings leaderboard

$3 Million in Free Ticket Drops
Participants in any WSOP Super Circuit event can win WSOP Express tickets, $5K Ring Passes, or $10K Bracelet Passes. Tickets will be awarded randomly throughout the series, totaling $3 million in free prizes.

Live Coverage
Final tables for the Main Event (#13) and High Roller (#18) will be streamed live on GGPoker.TV and YouTube, hosted by Jeff Gross, with commentary by Daniel Negreanu for the High Roller.

Player and Ambassador Excitement
Daniel Negreanu said: “The 2026 WSOP Super Circuit at GGPoker is absolutely massive. With $180M in total guarantees, including $15M Main Event and $10M Mystery Millions, it’s the perfect time to compete for record-breaking prizes.”

The post GGPoker Brings Back WSOP Super Circuit with Record $180M Guarantee appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Casino Bonus Features

PopOK Gaming Unveils Macaco Millionario Dual-Grid Slot

Published

3 hours ago

February 24, 2026

Wladimir P.

popok-gaming-unveils-macaco-millionario-dual-grid-slot

PopOK Gaming has launched Macaco Millionario, a vibrant online slot inspired by Chinese symbolism and designed with an innovative double-grid bonus feature.

Rich red and gold visuals, lucky symbols, and a playful Macaco character combine to deliver a visually engaging and rewarding gaming experience.

The game features a 5×3 layout with 30 fixed paylines and two types of Wilds, including Double Wilds that count as two symbols for higher winning potential. The Double Fortune Free Spins round introduces an extra 5×3 reel set, allowing players to spin two grids simultaneously. Wins across both grids trigger multipliers up to x20, and retriggers extend the bonus for bigger payouts.

With a maximum multiplier of x1,732, Macaco Millionario delivers exciting bonus features, including Free Spins, Double Free Spins, Double Win Multipliers, Extra Spins, and a jackpot option. The game offers an RTP of 96.56% and supports bets from EUR 0.02 to EUR 100, fully optimized for web and mobile play. Multi-language support includes English, Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish, Chinese, and Hindi.

“Macaco Millionario blends cultural familiarity with a unique bonus structure that delivers thrilling moments in every spin,” said Tsovinar Elchyan, Head of Partnerships at PopOK Gaming. “The double-grid feature sets it apart from traditional slots, offering operators and players something truly innovative.”

The slot is now live and available for integration across all platforms supporting PopOK Gaming content. Operators interested in adding Macaco Millionario to their portfolios can contact PopOK Gaming directly.

The post PopOK Gaming Unveils Macaco Millionario Dual-Grid Slot appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

AI in lottery

Scientific Games Appoints Rich Wasserman as Senior Vice President of Product Engineering

Published

3 hours ago

February 24, 2026

Wladimir P.

scientific-games-appoints-rich-wasserman-as-senior-vice-president-of-product-engineering

Scientific Games has appointed Rich Wasserman as Senior Vice President of Product Engineering, reinforcing its commitment to advancing lottery systems technology and digital innovation.

Based in Atlanta, the global lottery provider continues to expand its technology leadership as one of the fastest-growing suppliers of retail and digital lottery solutions worldwide.

Leadership Experience from Amazon, Facebook and Stitch Fix

Wasserman brings more than 20 years of experience leading engineering, data science and product teams across high-performance technology platforms.

He previously held senior leadership roles at:

Amazon
Facebook
Stitch Fix

At Stitch Fix, he served as Vice President of Engineering and Data Science, leading automation, AI-driven systems and platform optimization initiatives. Wasserman holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and a Computer Science degree from the University at Buffalo.

Driving Innovation Across Global Lottery Platforms

In his new role, Wasserman will oversee Product Engineering across Scientific Games’ global portfolio serving more than 150 government-regulated lotteries. His responsibilities include advancing:

Retail lottery systems
Digital lottery platforms
Hardware and software innovation
Data analytics and AI capabilities
Consumer engagement technologies

CEO Pat McHugh stated that Wasserman’s experience scaling AI-powered platforms at world-class technology firms will help accelerate innovation and deliver next-generation lottery solutions focused on sustainable growth.

Strengthening Lottery Technology Leadership

Scientific Games continues to invest in technology, analytics and digital transformation to enhance consumer experiences across retail and online lottery channels. The appointment underscores the company’s strategy to integrate advanced analytics and machine learning into its global lottery ecosystem.

The post Scientific Games Appoints Rich Wasserman as Senior Vice President of Product Engineering appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.