The study is based on 12,340 complete interviews conducted between August 4 and November 26, 2025. It covers the German-speaking resident population aged 16 to 70. The researchers used the DSM-5 criteria to assess gambling-related problems in adults.
The data is particularly striking when it comes to riskier forms of gambling. 7.5 percent of the population participated in the activities classified as such in the report in the past twelve months, i.e., slot machines, casino or sports betting, and KENO. According to DSM-5, 2.2 percent of 18- to 70-year-olds have a gambling-related disorder. According to the report, particularly high proportions are found in virtual slot machines, money and gambling machines, and live sports betting.
The often-discussed black market, on the other hand, does not play a significant role in the survey itself as a separate research result. The report does point out that the legal German gambling market will have reached a volume of €14.4 billion in 2024 in terms of gross gaming revenue. In addition, gross gaming revenue of €500 to €600 million is assumed for illegal websites. However, this passage is found in the chapter “Objectives and Background” and not as an independent result of the survey. The survey therefore primarily measures participation, problems, and protection aspects among the population—not the actual size of the black market.
The topic of day trading was also newly included in 2025. 6.5 percent of respondents reported having engaged in short-term stock market trading in the past twelve months. Among those who day traded at least once a month, 63.7 percent also participated in gambling; 12.1 percent of this group met the criteria for a gambling-related disorder. The study thus points to overlaps between speculative financial behavior and gambling risks.
The report is also clear on the issue of player protection. A very large majority of respondents support protective measures such as prohibiting minors from participating, educating them about the dangers of addiction, warning notices, and advertising restrictions.
What does the survey mean for the market and the evaluation?
For the market, the 2025 Gambling Survey shows one thing above all: no major shift, but a stable picture overall. Participation in gambling remains at a similar level, while the risks continue to be concentrated on certain products such as virtual slot machines, slot machines, and live sports betting. For the market, this means no fundamental upheaval, but continued clear anomalies in particularly risky forms of gambling.
The survey is nevertheless important for the evaluation because it allows for a comparison of developments since 2021. It shows whether participation, problematic gambling behavior, and the effect of protective measures are changing. However, it cannot clearly prove that a single legal measure is directly responsible for a change.
What does the stock market have to do with the 2025 gambling survey?
In 2025, the survey also looked at day trading for the first time, i.e., very short-term trading on the stock market. The authors want to show that there can be overlaps between speculative financial behavior and gambling.
The mention is primarily intended to draw attention to possible risks. The aim is not to equate the stock market with gambling in general, but to identify an area that should be monitored more closely from a research and prevention perspective.
Gambling addiction and help: Does the survey show any changes?
The survey does not show an increase in the number of gambling addicts compared to previous years. The report cites a rate of 2.2 percent of 18- to 70-year-olds with gambling-related disorders for 2025 and notes in the discussion that this prevalence will stagnate at an “unchanged high level” from 2021 to 2025. However, it remains striking that the burden is significantly higher for risky forms of gambling.
In terms of help, the survey does not measure how many people actually seek help or are already receiving help. Above all, it shows how well known such services are and how they are rated: 61.7 percent are aware of the availability of information on counseling and help services, with the figure rising to 69.7 percent among current gamblers. At the same time, 87.8 percent of respondents think such information is good; the report also emphasizes that there is still room for improvement in early detection and appropriate intervention, especially in the online sector.
What role do cognitive biases play in gambling – and who is particularly susceptible to them?
The 2025 survey shows that such cognitive biases increase particularly where gambling behavior becomes more intense and risky. The more different forms of gambling a person engages in, the higher the measured value: from 40 for only one form of gambling to 76 for four or more. Hybrid gamblers, i.e., people who gamble both in brick-and-mortar establishments and online, are particularly noticeable. Their GBQ value is 74, which is significantly higher than that of purely brick-and-mortar gamblers (51) and purely online gamblers (58).
The report thus makes it clear that problem gambling is not only a question of participation, but also of one's inner attitude toward gambling. According to the survey, those who gamble more riskily or have already developed problems are more likely to exhibit such distorted thinking patterns; in the case of a severe gambling disorder, the value even rises to 95.
What is the GBQ – and what are “thinking errors”?
GBQ stands for Gamblers Beliefs Questionnaire. This is the questionnaire used in the survey to measure gambling-related thinking errors. These are false or distorted ideas about gambling that can lead people to continue gambling or even intensify their gambling.
Which protective measures meet with approval?
The survey shows that measures to protect young people and players meet with broad approval. 91.9 percent of respondents are in favor of a ban on participation for minors, 88.5 percent are in favor of education about the dangers of gambling addiction, and 81.1 percent are in favor of addiction warnings. Restrictions on gambling advertising are also supported by a majority, at 78.3 percent.
It is striking that approval remains high even among current gamblers. 93.4 percent support the ban on participation for minors, 88.7 percent support information on counseling and help services, 85.8 percent support staff training, and 82.8 percent support the option of blocking risky gambling. This shows that player protection is widely accepted not only by society but also among players themselves.
How meaningful is the survey?
The 2025 Gambling Survey is particularly important because it allows comparisons with the 2021 and 2023 surveys. The authors emphasize that, on this basis, measures for the protection of young people and players can be evaluated and improved if necessary. At the same time, the study is based on a large sample of 12,340 complete interviews, 64.9 percent of which were conducted by telephone and 35.1 percent online.
At the same time, the report itself shows that the results must be read with a sense of proportion. In the telephone sample, gambling participation was 23.6 percent, compared to 62.1 percent in the online sample. The difference is also clear when it comes to gambling-related disorders: 0.6 percent in the telephone sample compared to 5.2 percent in the online sample. The survey is therefore very valuable for highlighting trends and developments, but it does not provide simple proof that a single measure alone has had a specific effect.
Download: Results of the 2025 Gambling Survey (PDF)