A report has found that more than one in four Asian students who gamble are in the problem gambling category.

The fourth Annual Student Gambling Survey, commissioned by GAMSTOP and Ygam, revealed that ‘23% of Asian students who gamble are at high risk’ and ‘36% at moderate risk of gambling harm’.

This is more than ‘four times higher than the general population’.

The survey, conducted by Censuswide, involved 2,000 students from universities near 17 UK cities, of whom 23% identified as Asian.

The research aims to better understand the gambling behaviours and needs of students from minoritised ethnic groups.

The survey found that Asian students are the least likely of any large ethnic group to have gambled in the last 12 months, 38% compared to an average of 49% across all ethnicities, but the most likely to be at risk of gambling harm.

The report says that, while ethnicity is not a risk factor for gambling-related harms, similar findings have been identified in adults with higher rates of gambling harm identified in BAME communities in the UK.

A key recommendation is for more targeted prevention education, taking into consideration cultural differences to better meet the needs of students from BAME backgrounds.

Fiona Palmer, chief executive officer at GAMSTOP, said: “The Student Gambling Survey is an important piece of research that confirms the need for targeted support for the student community.

Although gambling has decreased slightly in universities, the risk of gambling harm is far higher than in the general population and students need to be educated about the consequences of gambling in the expectation of making money.”

Dr Jane Rigbye, chief executive officer at Ygam, said: “Students remain a cohort that engages in gambling in significant numbers. With much of student life now digital and online, we must continue to guide and educate to increase understanding and build resilience against the potential harms of gambling.”

The report also found that male students across all ethnicities who gamble are spending almost as much on their gambling as on the weekly food shop.

Men’s mean spend on gambling is £33.54 per week, this compares to £36 per week on groceries, according to the most recent National Student Money Survey (2024).

Almost one in ten of all student gamblers spend between £51-£100 per week on gambling, significantly more than their average weekly food shop.

The report calls for universities to make gambling harm prevention and support an integral part of their strategies to improve student health and wellbeing.