There are many types of gambling, and some forms of gambling are not as obvious as others, such as playing on a 2p slot machine or making a private bet with your mate about the outcome of a football match. For most gambling activities, the legal age is 18.

In 2019, YGAM commissioned Red Brick Research to undertake research into gaming and gambling among undergraduate students, with more than 2,000 undergraduates and postgraduates surveyed.

• YGAM's survey identifies that 47% of students have gambled in the last 12 months.
• Of these, 16% can be identified as moderate risk or problem gamblers, meaning about 264,000 students in the UK are at some risk from gambling with around 88,000 already defined as problem gamblers.
• The survey found that 79% of students reported that they gamed, with 35% gaming most days and 17% gaming every day.

• Almost half of those who gamed every day felt it had gotten in the way of their academic performance.
• The findings show that students gamble to try to ease and improve their finances whilst at university. Of the students who have gambled in the past 12 months, almost three-fifths (59%) say they are always worrying about their financial situation while 16% have gambled more than they could afford.

As student life can be filled with pressures, it is important to know that support is available if you are struggling with gambling or gambling relates issues.

Over half of the students who gamble also gamble to try to win money, with this becoming more common due to the cost of living crisis. University is often the first opportunity to manage your money independently and for many, finances can be a challenge as you may receive a student loan or work to support your living costs. Financial pressures are also more prominent than ever due to the cost-of-living crisis.

YGAM is an educational charity that has some brilliant advice and information on gambling and gambling related harms. They also have an extensive support directory which can be found online at https://www.ygam.org/support-and-advice/ and https://students.ygam.org/gambling/.