Problem Gambling Statistics by Country

Headlines about problem gambling often quote a single number, but the number depends heavily on who was asked, how and with which questionnaire. This guide explains how official surveys work and which figures are published for the UK, US, Ireland, Canada and Australia.

We use only figures read on official pages, and we leave out numbers we could not confirm. Treat all of them as estimates, not exact counts.

What is being measured

Most surveys use a screening questionnaire, not a medical diagnosis. The most widely used is the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), which has nine questions, each answered on a four-point scale. The total puts people into groups:

• Score 0: no reported symptoms or adverse consequences.
• Score 1 to 2: low risk.
• Score 3 to 7: moderate risk.
• Score 8 or more: the group usually labelled “problem gambling”. This excludes everyone who scored lower, even though lower scorers can still report some harm.

These are risk categories along a spectrum, not a diagnosis. Other tools exist, including clinical criteria and the Canadian Problem Gambling Index, and they can give different answers for the same population.

Great Britain

The Gambling Commission’s Gambling Survey for Great Britain is the main source. The 2025 report covers 20,775 adults aged 18 and over, with fieldwork from January 2025 to January 2026 using a push-to-web approach. It reports that 7.8% of adults scored 1 to 2, 3.5% scored 3 to 7 and 2.4% scored 8 or more.

The report says its figures are estimates with a margin of error. It also says the survey is not directly comparable with earlier gambling or health surveys and that such comparisons should not be used to assess trends over time. Because the methods differ, nobody can tell how much of any gap between older and newer estimates is method and how much is real change, so older and new estimates should not be used to infer a trend.

Ireland

Ireland’s main source is the Health Research Board’s 2019/20 National Drug and Alcohol Survey, which interviewed 5,762 people aged 15 and over in private households. It estimated about 90,000 people as low-risk gamblers, 35,000 as moderate-risk and 12,000 as problem gamblers. It excluded people in prisons or institutions, people who are homeless and Travellers. The data are several years old, and the survey was mainly about drug use, with gambling added.

United States

There is no single federal prevalence survey comparable to the British one. The National Council on Problem Gambling estimates that about 2.5 million adults (1%) meet the criteria for a severe gambling problem in a year, and 5 to 8 million (2 to 3%) have a milder problem. The NCPG page does not state the survey or method behind these estimates, and its mild-to-moderate group is not a diagnosis.

Canada and Australia

Both countries run national and regional research, but the published results use different tools, age groups and years, and some are pilot or older studies. Because we could not confirm a single current, directly comparable headline figure for either country from the primary publication, we do not quote one here. Australia’s national research is led by the Australian Gambling Research Centre, and Canadian figures usually come from provincial studies and national health surveys.

A worked example of reading the numbers

This example is for illustration only. Suppose a town has 50,000 adults and its survey results matched the British ones. Then:

• 2.4% scoring 8 or more is about 1,200 people.
• 3.5% scoring 3 to 7 is about 1,750 people.
• 7.8% scoring 1 to 2 is about 3,900 people.

Adding the three gives 13.7%, or 6,850 people with a score of 1 or higher. The headline “2.4%” covers only the highest-scoring group. A score of 1 or higher means a respondent reported at least one symptom or consequence, not that every one of those people is harmed or has a problem. The PGSI also leaves out harms to others, such as partners and children, so neither figure counts everyone affected.

The denominator also matters. If 2.4% of all adults scored 8 or more and, for illustration, 60% of adults gambled in the year, the share among people who gamble would be 2.4 divided by 60%, which is 4%. Same data, two different percentages.

Why the numbers are hard to compare

• Different questionnaires. PGSI, clinical screens and older tools give different results.
• Different ages and years. Ireland includes people aged 15 and over, while Great Britain starts at 18.
• Self-reporting. People under-report because of shame, and surveys miss anyone who does not respond.
• Excluded groups. Many surveys leave out institutions, people without homes and some communities.
• Harm to others. A person’s score does not count the partner, children or friends affected.
• Changing methods. New online survey methods can shift results, so figures from before and after a change should not be read as a trend.

Rules by country

For most readers, the practical point is where to find help whatever the figures say:

• Great Britain: National Gambling Helpline (GamCare), 0808 8020 133.
• United States: National Problem Gambling Helpline, 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738); the older 1-800-522-4700 remains active.
• Ireland: your GP or the HSE.
• Canada: provincial helplines, such as ConnexOntario on 1-866-531-2600.
• Australia: Gambling Help Online, 1800 858 858.

The responsible gambling tools guide compares limits and exclusion schemes, and the free spend tracker can help you see your own totals.

The bottom line

Official figures are useful but fragile. They show that a small share of adults score as problem gamblers and a larger group sits at some level of risk, but exact numbers depend on method. Never compare two countries’ headline percentages without checking the questionnaire, age range and year. For your own situation, read how mental health and gambling connect, and note that free support matters more than any national statistic.

Sources

• Gambling Survey for Great Britain annual report 2025 (gamblingcommission.gov.uk)
• Gambling in the Republic of Ireland: 2019/20 National Drug and Alcohol Survey (hrb.ie)
• Problem gambling FAQ (ncpgambling.org)
• National Gambling Trends Study (aifs.gov.au)

18+ only (21 in most US states, 19 in most Canadian provinces for casino and betting). Gambling can be addictive. Free, confidential help is available: Great Britain: England and Scotland 0808 8020 133, Wales 0808 2819 265 (free, 24 hours), and GAMSTOP (gamstop.co.uk); US: National Problem Gambling Helpline 1-800-MY-RESET (the older 1-800-522-4700 also works); Australia: Gambling Help Online 1800 858 858 and BetStop (betstop.gov.au); Ontario, Canada: ConnexOntario 1-866-531-2600; Ireland: speak to your GP or the HSE. Never gamble money you need for living costs.