Are British Asian Students Gambling More than they can Afford?

In recent years, concerns have been growing about the gambling habits of students, sparking debates over whether they are betting more than they can afford.

When delving into demographics, this is also the case for British Asians.

This demographic, traditionally known for its strong emphasis on education and financial prudence, is now increasingly engaging in gambling activities.

This has raised questions about the underlying causes and potential consequences.

As the allure of quick money and the ubiquity of online betting platforms grow, it becomes crucial to examine whether these students are betting within their means or if they are at risk of falling into debt.

We delve into how prevalent it is among British Asian students, the impact on their lives and what is being done to address this issue.

How Many British Asian Students are Gambling?

DESIblitz conducted a survey among 200 British Asian students and found that 65% have gambled in the last 12 months.

The most popular form of gambling for male students was online sport betting. This was followed by the National Lottery and online casinos.

Five per cent physically went to casinos while none of the respondents mentioned dog and horse racing.

Overall, men were 15% more likely to gamble than women.

While it may seem harmless, it can quickly cause people to ‘problem gamble’ and the survey found that among those who gamble, almost half (45%) bet more than they can afford.

The majority of student gamblers said they spent £11-20 a week on bets, while 20% spent £21-£50 and 10% spent £51-£100.

Almost all the surveyed student gamblers said they gambled to make money but just 10% reported winning money in an average week.

According to the survey, British Asian student gamblers are losing approximately £30 a week, with 25% going into their savings to sustain their habit.

Some are using their student loans while others spend the money given by their parents.

For students like Akshay*, losing money via gambling creates a harmful circle.

He said:

“My only source of income was gambling so when I lost money, the only way to get it back was to gamble more.”

Although problem gambling is a concern, it is not a new thing.

When asked why they started gambling, students said the Covid-19 pandemic.

The pandemic presented a toxic combination of boredom, opportunity and exposure, resulting in a breeding ground for problem gambling.

Krishna* said: “I started betting during the Covid-19 pandemic because the isolation and uncertainty made me seek out new forms of excitement and distraction.

“With so much free time and stress about the future, it seemed like an easy way to escape the boredom and potentially make some extra money.

“But four years later, I’m betting more often and it has made things more difficult for me financially.”

Fiona Palmer, CEO of GAMSTOP, an online service that enables gambling addicts to ban themselves from betting platforms, said:

“This is the third year that we have run research and insights into the student gambling landscape, which underpins our gambling support university tour, educating students about gambling risk and signposting them to support.

“We have seen a significant spike in the number of young people registering for self-exclusion, with 16-24-year-olds making up around in one in four of GAMSTOP registrants, and this shows the importance of educating them about risk before they develop a problem.”

The Impact of Gambling on Students

With easy access to online betting platforms and the increasing normalisation of gambling in society, students are more vulnerable to developing problematic gambling behaviours.

For students, betting more than they can afford has a significant impact on them, especially because it comes at a time when they are budgeting all of their expenses.

Many students survive each term on their student loans, with some getting extra income from a part-time job or their parents.

The pressures of academic life, combined with the allure of quick financial gains, can lead to a cycle of betting that affects their studies and well-being.

DESIblitz’s survey found that among the 59 British Asian students who bet more than they can afford, 15% said they had trouble paying for food.

Priya*, whose brother struggled to buy groceries due to his gambling habit, explained:

“My brother would often ask me or my parents to pay for his groceries.

“I thought he was spending his money on nights out but I found out from one of his friends that he was always placing bets on football accumulators.

“Whenever there were football matches on, he would be putting money on them.”

Gambling also affected attendance at lectures as well as grades, which was the case for Akshay:

“Because I was desperate to win money back, I would spend a lot of time in my room and on my phone, missing lectures as a result.

“My attendance quickly dropped and because of this, so did my grades as I had no clue what to do for my assignments because I was more focused on betting.”

Some students said they had even thought about dropping out of university altogether because their habit had become so severe.

Due to a lack of contact time with staff, Amit* spent more of his student loan on gambling in his first year and eventually moved to another university.

However, it continued and he ended up gambling his entire student loan in a few days.

The problem gambling continued after university and took a huge toll on him, losing jobs and relationships.

He said: “I suffered from depression and anxiety.

“Gambling would take me away from what I was feeling but things spiralled and affected me even more and those I care about.”

Experts have warned that gambling has become “entrenched in university culture” with a “significant spike” in 16 to 24-year-olds seeking help for addiction.

Dr Jane Rigbye, CEO of The Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM), said:

“Since the release of last year’s (2023) report, students have faced increased financial strain exacerbated by the ongoing cost of living crisis. 

“Despite these challenges, this year’s data reveals that a majority of students are gambling, with a significant portion gambling more than they can afford.

“We know that the harms associated with gambling are multifaceted and extend beyond mere financial implications.

“With gambling entrenched in university culture, the importance of our educational programmes with students and universities cannot be overstated.

“There is a growing demand for our resources from universities that recognise the necessity of implementing harm prevention measures.”

The main difference between gambling and other addictions is that gambling is uniquely perceived as a viable solution to the very problems it creates.

Financial issues often act as a catalyst for problem gambling, and numerous studies have shown a strong correlation between gambling addiction and living in poverty.

What are Universities doing to tackle Gambling Addiction?

In the UK, many universities have introduced initiatives to help students who are struggling with problem gambling or gambling addiction.

At Imperial College London, members of welfare teams, departments and the Student Financial Support team have been trained in gambling and gaming awareness.

This is to help provide a safe space and resources to students who may feel like they have or feel like they may be showing signs of problem gambling.

Meanwhile, the University of Bristol has introduced the Bristol Hub for Gambling Harms Research.

Sharon Collard, co-director of the hub, said:

“Our aim is to build capacity in gambling harms research across academic disciplines – at Bristol, across Britain and internationally – to bring fresh insight that can make a real difference in preventing and reducing gambling harms at a population level.”

The University of Bath offers support and advice, including how to apply to the University hardship fund or how to get a short-term loan.

Its Wellbeing Service can offer help if you have a gambling problem as well as with any other welfare or well-being issue.

But despite the support, a poll by Censuswide found that 45% of student gamblers were unaware of the support available to them from their universities.

This is perhaps due to limited outreach and awareness campaigns.

So it is up to universities to bring their support campaigns to the fore to ensure students with gambling problems get the help they need.

Gambling is often called an ‘invisible addiction’ because its signs are usually difficult to spot and there is far less awareness about the problem in society than with other addictions.

But for the growing number of student gamblers who are left without support on UK campuses, the cost of that invisibility is devastating.

Until the relationship with gambling in society and on UK campuses changes, thousands of students will continue to struggle with addictions alone.

Meanwhile, those who develop a gambling addiction while at university can often be left coping with its devastating impact for years afterwards.

Here are some resources that can help:

• BeGambleAware – 0808 8020 133
• GamCare – 0808 8020 133
• Gamblers Anonymous – 0330 094 0322

If you or know someone struggling with gambling addiction, reach out for help.