JSNA – People – Gambling Harms

Last Updated: June 2026

This page provides a summary of the current picture of gambling harms and the estimated impact in Barnet. Gambling harms are the negative effects experienced by a person who gambles, as well as those around them. These harms can affect people at any stage of life and can take many different forms including:

• legal problems or involvement with crime
• financial difficulties
• relationship problems
• mental and physical health issues
• problems with work, studies or housing

Please click here for more information on gambling harms support.

You may also be interested in this Your Health Barnet blog – Help for those affected by gambling harms.

How many people gamble?

Over 1 in 3 (36%) of adults in Barnet are estimated to have spent money on a form of gambling activity in the past month according to 2024-25 data. This is equivalent to approximately 112,400 adults across the borough. This level of gambling is significantly below the England average (48% of adults) but similar to the London average (37% of adults)¹.

Lottery draws can sometimes skew overall gambling estimates because they are much more popular than other forms of gambling, are considered low-risk, and a large proportion of people only participate in this activity. This can therefore mask the prevalence of other types of gambling².

When we exclude lottery participation, the number of adults in Barnet who have spent money on gambling in the past months becomes 1 in 5 (20%), representing approximately 61,200 adults. This is significantly below the England average (28% of adults) but similar to the London average (22% of adults)¹.

National data shows that gambling participation is higher amongst men than women. Behaviour also varies by age. Overall gambling participation is highest in those aged 45-64 years, though when lottery draws are excluded this age profile shifts younger, with those aged 35-44 years having the highest participation rates³.

How do people gamble?

Lottery draws are the most popular gambling activity in Great Britain. 25% of the national population report buying tickets for National lottery draws in the past four weeks, with 15% buying tickets for other charity lottery draws. More people report buying tickets online than in person. National data shows that other popular gambling activities include scratchcards (12% of population), betting (8% of population) and online instant-win games (8% of population)³.

Whilst many activities, including scratchcards and online instant-win games, show no difference in male and female participation, betting activity is over three times higher amongst men than women. The most popular type of betting is football, followed by live horse racing. The most popular reasons given for participation in gambling activities are “for the chance of winning big money” and “because it’s fun”³.

Who is most at risk?

People who gamble are grouped into different risk groups using the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), which assesses the prevalence of gambling harm. Low-risk gamblers have a PGSI score of 1-2 and are adults that are unlikely to have experienced any adverse gambling consequences but are at future risk if they remain heavily involved in gambling. There are an estimated 23,000 low-risk gamblers in Barnet, representing 7.4% of the population¹.

Moderate- to high-risk gamblers have a PGSI score of 3 or higher and are likely to or have definitely experienced adverse gambling consequences. Approximately 18,000 Barnet adults (6.8% of the population) are classified as moderate-risk or high-risk gamblers. This is a similar prevalence to the London and England averages¹.

National data shows that certain demographic groups have a relatively higher level of high-risk gambling compared to the average population².  This includes:

• People aged 18-34 years.
• People of non-White ethnicity.
• People who are unemployed or economically inactive.
• People not in a relationship.

What is the public cost?

The annual fiscal cost of gambling harm in Barnet is estimated to be £6,975,000. 60% of this (£4.2 million) is estimated to come from Universal Credit, and a further 34% (£2.3 million) from hospital inpatient stays. The remained cost is made up from police callouts (2.4%; £170,000), mental health GP consultations (1.6%; £110,000), homelessness support (1.2%; £87,000), and court appearances (0.7%; £47,000)⁴.

Is support accessed?

Demand for gambling support, treatment, or advice is higher in Barnet than the GB average across all risk groups. Most notably, 67% of high-risk gamblers in Barnet report a demand for gambling support, compared to the GB average of 57%. However, despite this demand, only 55% of high-risk gamblers report accessing support – this is significantly below the GB average of 61%⁴. This suggests that barriers may be preventing those most in need of gambling support from accessing it effectively.

Conclusion

Gambling activity is widespread across Barnet, ranging from low-risk behaviours, such as participation in lottery draws, to high-risk activity where individuals experience adverse consequences. The public cost of gambling-related harm is substantial, placing pressure across multiple services. Increasing access to support can help reduce these costs and prevent escalation to higher-risk gambling.

References

[1] Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (2026). Local Authority Estimates of Gambling Participation.

[2] Gambling Commission (2026). Guidance on using statistics from the Gambling Survey for Great Britain. https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/about-us/page/guidance-on-using-statistics-from-the-gambling-survey-for-great-britain

[3] Gambling Commission (2026). Statistics on gambling participation – Wave 4, September 2025 to January 2026: Official statistics. https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/statistics-and-research/publication/statistics-on-gambling-participation-wave-4-september-2025-to-january-2026-official-statistics

[4] GambleAware (2026). Gambling harm local area data profiles. Oxford Consultants for Social Inclusion. https://www.gambleaware.org/our-research/publication-library/articles/gambling-harm-local-area-data-profiles-2022-2024/

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