One-in-six Bradford pupils gamble on slot machines

Playing slot machines is the most common form of gambling among adolescents in Bradford, a survey has revealed.

Researchers found almost a third of secondary school children aged twelve to fifteen said that they had spent their own money on gambling at least once. The most popular reported forms of activity were reel-based gaming machines (17 per cent), private bets (8 per cent) and playing cards (7 per cent).

Born in Bradford, a major seven-year research project, surveyed over 7,000 young people aged 12–15 across the city’s secondary schools during the 2023/24 academic year.

Dangers

Gillian Santorelli, Principal Statistician for the project, observed: “Our study shows that gambling behaviours – and gambling-like features in online gaming – are already present among pupils in the early secondary school years.”

She added: “The findings also add to concerns about the boundary between gaming and gambling. More than half of pupils had spent real money inside online games, and more than one in four had purchased loot boxes or similar packs.

“These are not the same as traditional gambling, but they use chance-based reward mechanisms that can look and feel similar.”

In a briefing to schools, the project warned that young people who gamble “can be at greater risk of financial difficulties, mental health problems, and disruption to their education”.

Grooming

The Christian Institute is calling on the Prime Minister to update gambling law and improve protections for the vulnerable, including taking “quick, effective action” to stop the industry’s grooming of children to gamble.

In a letter to Andy Burnham earlier this month, Director Ciarán Kelly argued that: “The gambling industry has shown scant regard for protecting children. Under-18s are exposed to multiple adverts for gambling websites on a daily basis.

“Gambling products are often intentionally designed to mimic colourful, family-friendly games. Loot boxes within video games are commonplace. The effect is that children are being groomed to gamble. Sadly, many children are gambling long before they are legally allowed to do so. The industry must be held to account for this.”

Problem gambling among children aged 11-18 doubled between 2023 and 2024 – equating to around 85,000 young people nationwide. In most cases, the minimum age to be permitted to gamble in the UK is 18.