Latest News
New Research Shows Nearly Half of Student Gamblers are Gambling More than they can Afford
Nearly one in two university students who gamble say they are staking more than they can afford, the latest Annual Student Gambling Survey has revealed.
The survey of 2,000 students across the United Kingdom found that student gamblers are losing £35.25 a week on average. To fund their gambling, 32% are dipping into their savings, 23% are using their student loan, 10% are using money from their parents and, concerningly, 8% are using their overdraft.
The findings have been released after the government announced that 18 to 24-year-olds will be limited to a maximum £2 per spin for online slots. Gambling operators will perform ‘passive’ checks on players with a net loss above £125 each month or £500 per year.
The survey also incorporated the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) to measure at-risk gambling behaviour. It revealed 28% of students who gamble are at ‘moderate risk’ with 21% in the ‘problem gambling’ category.
The independent research, in its third year, was jointly commissioned by GAMSTOP, the national online self-exclusion scheme, and Ygam, a leading education charity that delivers harm prevention programmes aimed at safeguarding children and young people against gaming and gambling harms.
Six out of ten students say they have gambled in the last twelve months and 48% of that group admit they have staked more than they can afford in that period. Nearly half of those who gamble say they do it to make money (46%) and one in four enjoy the risk (24%).
Friends remain the biggest influence on student gambling (34%) followed closely by sports events (26%) and social media (25%). This demonstrates the need to educate young people on safer gambling habits. Four out of ten have been criticised by other people for their gambling or have been told they are gambling too much and more than half admit feeling guilty about their gambling.
Gambling also has wider implications with 46% saying it has affected their university experience including trouble paying for food, attempting to access hardship loans and missing social activities and work deadlines. One in 16 student gamblers reported that they have deferred or considered dropping out of university due to their gambling.
Over the past twelve months GAMSTOP and Ygam have visited more than 30 university campuses across the United Kingdom to raise awareness of gambling harms among students and the support that is available. Ygam has also delivered training to university and student union staff. Reassuringly, 60% of students say they feel comfortable accessing university gambling support; an increase on last year.
The survey has been published immediately after National Student Money Week 2024, which was themed ‘Less Risk, More Reward – Maintaining your Financial Wellbeing at University’ and included advice on risky behaviours such as gambling.
This year’s research also investigated student attitudes to spending money on microtransactions in video games. Critics argue that monetised features such as loot boxes share clear similarities with traditional forms of gambling. While 70% of student gamers have paid real money for these random chance items in games, only 51% recognise this as gambling.
“Whilst millions of people gamble safely and without harm, we know that young adults can be more vulnerable to gambling related harms, which is why we recently introduced online slot limits specifically for 18 to 24-year-olds,” Stuart Andrew MP, Gambling Minister, said. “Alongside this, we are introducing a host of measures this year that will better protect young people from gambling harms including financial risk checks, tighter controls on advertising, and marketing and a statutory levy on gambling operators.”
“This is the third year that we have run research and insights into the student gambling landscape, which underpins our Gambling Support University Tour, educating students about gambling risk and signposting them to support,” the Chief Executive Officer for GAMSTOP, Fiona Palmer, said. “We have seen a significant spike in the number of young people registering for self-exclusion, with 16 to 24-year-olds making up around in one in four of GAMSTOP registrants, and this shows the importance of educating them about risk before they develop a problem.”
“Since last year’s report, students have faced increased financial strain amidst the ongoing cost of living crisis,” the Chief Executive Officer for Ygam, Dr Jane Rigbye, said. “Despite a notable decrease in gambling participation rates among students over the past three years, problem gambling prevalence rates remain stable, significantly higher than those in the general population. We know the multifaceted harms associated with gambling extend beyond financial implications and any level of harm is unacceptable.
“With gambling seemingly entrenched in university culture and participated in by the majority of students, the importance of our educational programmes with students and universities cannot be overstated. There is a growing demand for our training and resources from universities that recognise the necessity of implementing harm prevention measures. We encourage all those working in university settings to work to implement harm prevention strategies on campus and we are ready to support them to do this effectively.”
Censuswide surveyed 2,000 university students in the United Kingdom (18+) with a 50/50 gender split from December 8 to December 20, 2023.
If you’re worried about your own or someone else’s gambling, the National Gambling Support Network provides free help and support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you have care or influence over a child or young person and want more information about gambling harms and how to prevent them, you can register for a free online workshop through www. Ygam. org.
Latest News
ComeOn Group unveils new live casino innovation with industry-first 7-seat Blackjack tables for its branded Nordic Ruby Lounge
ComeOn Group is excited to announce a groundbreaking addition to its Nordic Ruby Lounge portfolio: the launch of the industry’s first dedicated 7-Seat live casino Bet Stacker Blackjack.
Together with partner Evolution, this innovative live casino experience reinforces ComeOn Group’s commitment to delivering premium, player-centric gaming to its audience. Bet Stacker Blackjack joins an already solid lineup in the Nordic Ruby Lounge, which includes Native-Speaking Swedish Classic Blackjack and Free Bet Blackjack, further enhancing the diverse and immersive options available to players.
Greg Kett, Director of Casino at ComeOn Group, said: “The launch of Bet Stacker Blackjack marks another milestone in our mission to bring innovative and high-quality gaming experiences to our players. We are proud to continuously push the boundaries of live casino entertainment and set new industry standards.”
The Nordic Ruby Lounge is part of ComeOn Group’s prestigious Ruby Lounge portfolio, which debuted in early 2022 with a strong commitment to premium, safe, and exclusive entertainment. Designed as a “brand within a brand”, the Ruby Lounge live casino studio delivers an immersive experience, featuring expertly hosted Blackjack and Roulette tables by ComeOn’s dedicated live dealers.
With its tailored and personalised approach, the Nordic Ruby Lounge stands out as a truly one-of-a-kind live casino offering, setting new benchmarks in the industry. As live casino gaming remains a strategic focus for ComeOn Group, the launch of Nordic Ruby Lounge marks a significant milestone in the company’s ongoing growth and innovation efforts.
The post ComeOn Group unveils new live casino innovation with industry-first 7-seat Blackjack tables for its branded Nordic Ruby Lounge appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Shochiku Ventures, the CVC arm of Shochiku Group, a cornerstone of Japanese entertainment for over 125 years, is launching the Shochiku Game Accelerator 2025, which will offer startups up to $100,000 USD.
The accelerator’s funding is available to startups providing game-enhancing technologies such as middleware, SaaS, and infrastructure. This funding is not for game development itself but for services that improve existing games.
Building on Shochiku’s recent indie game publishing success (e.g., MiSide – 80,000+ Overwhelmingly Positive Steam reviews), the program focuses on Proof of Concept (PoC) development, leveraging Shochiku’s existing game titles. Selected companies will receive funding, a trip to Tokyo, and access to top Japanese VCs, publishers, and partners.
Key Details:
- Funding: Up to $100,000 (USD) per selected company (non-equity)
- Focus: Game-enhancing technologies (middleware, SaaS, infrastructure – not game development)
- Opportunity: PoC development with Shochiku titles, Japan market entry/expansion, networking with key industry players.
- Backed By: Shochiku Ventures, part of the historic Shochiku Group.
- Application Deadline: May 19, 2025 (11:59 PM JST)
The full press lelease below:
The post Shochiku Ventures (Shochiku Group) Launches $100K Game Accelerator appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Latest News
XSOLLA RELEASES Q1 2025 REPORT ON THE FUTURE OF GLOBAL GAMING AND GAME DEVELOPMENT: ANALYSIS OF METRICS AND EMERGING TRENDS
Key Topics Include the Global Gaming Market, Mobile Monetization Trends, Player Engagement Led by Gen Z and Gen Alpha, and Rising Investments Tools and Platforms
Xsolla, a leading global video game commerce company, proudly announces the release of the Q1 2025 Edition of “The Xsolla Report: The State of Play.” This detailed report provides crucial insights, trends, and opportunities shaping the gaming landscape, empowering industry professionals to adapt and thrive in today’s rapidly changing market.
The Q1 2025 Edition focuses on the rapid growth of the global gaming market, which is expected to reach $522.5 billion in 2025 and expand at a 7.25% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR), hitting $691.3 billion by 2029. The United States, poised to generate the largest revenue share for mobile games, will further solidify its position as the world’s top gaming market, contributing approximately $141 billion to the total revenue. This surge is driven mainly by the continued rise of mobile gaming, fueled by increasing smartphone adoption, advancing technology, and a more connected global market. The mobile gaming market is expected to accelerate at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.3%, with 9.9% growth projected for 2025 alone.
The report also highlights shifting player engagement trends, with Gen Z and Gen Alpha leading. These digital-native generations are redefining the gaming landscape by gravitating toward interactive, socially connected, and player-generated content. Platforms like Twitch and YouTube fuel deeper community interactions, solidifying gaming as not just entertainment but as a social and cultural force.
Technological advancements continue to shape the industry, with AI and cloud gaming at the forefront of innovation. Cloud gaming, projected to generate $25.3 billion by 2029, is breaking accessibility barriers by enabling high-performance, device-agnostic streaming. Meanwhile, AI is revolutionizing game development, optimizing workflows, and creating personalized player experiences boosting engagement and retention. As the gaming sector rapidly evolves, industry leaders such as Activision Blizzard, NVIDIA, and Microsoft are positioning themselves at the forefront of innovation, driving investment and expansion across cloud gaming, AI, and new monetization models.
“The convergence of AI and cloud gaming is revolutionizing the industry, making high-quality gaming experiences more immersive, scalable, and accessible than ever before,” said Chris Hewish, Chief Strategy Officer at Xsolla. “AI is streamlining development and enhancing player engagement, while cloud gaming is removing hardware barriers, allowing more players to connect seamlessly while providing alternative payment models like pay-as-you-go for users. This technological shift isn’t just shaping the future – it’s defining it.”
In addition to these findings, the report also highlights a defining trend shaping the industry: the democratization of game development, which is paving the way for social impact gaming. With game development tools increasingly accessible, a new generation of change makers is emerging—young creators leveraging gaming to address community challenges and drive meaningful social engagement.
The full report outlines the current trends and strategic opportunities in the global gaming market, offering invaluable insights for developers and industry stakeholders.
For more information and to access the Q1 2025 Edition of “The Xsolla Report: The State of Play,” visit: xsolla.pro/txrq125
The post XSOLLA RELEASES Q1 2025 REPORT ON THE FUTURE OF GLOBAL GAMING AND GAME DEVELOPMENT: ANALYSIS OF METRICS AND EMERGING TRENDS appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
-
Latest News3 months agoGamCare releases Annual Report following record breaking year of support on the National Gambling Helpline
-
Latest News3 months agoAbios powers upcoming gaming media platform Apollo with in-play statistics for League of Legends
-
Latest News3 months agoGovernment support, medals, and global recognition define a landmark year for Indian esports and video gaming in 2024
-
Latest News3 months agoKambi Group plc repurchase of shares during 18 December – 23 December 2024
-
Latest News3 months ago
India Levels Up: Emerging as a Global Gaming Powerhouse in 2024
-
Latest News3 months agoImagine Live Partners with King.rs
-
Latest News3 months agoGambling.com Group Enters into Definitive Agreement to Acquire Odds Holdings, Parent Company of OddsJam, a Fast-Growing Technology Platform for Real-time Odds Data, in Accretive Transaction
-
Latest News1 month agoSportradar’s Alpha Odds Receives Dual Honors at European iGaming Awards 2025
You must be logged in to post a comment Login