There are scientific studies that have concluded that the average person’s brain isn’t fully formed until they are into their early twenties.
And yet, in the UK, teenagers aged 18+ are legally allowed to drive, drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes and gamble.
There are plenty of campaigners who believe the minimum legal age for each of those things should be raised, with some suggesting that the UK law on gambling should be brought into line with the rules in the United States, where the minimum age is, in most states, 21.
But then, on the other hand, there are those who argue that restrictive policies can place unfair limits upon regulated, responsible adult gameplay.
The 18 vs 21 gambling debate shows no signs of slowing down any time soon, although it should be said that – at the time of writing – that the legal minimum age for gambling in the UK remains at 18… despite more stringent stake limits on slot games being introduced for those aged 18-25 in 2025.
The Arguments for Increasing the Minimum Gambling Age
As mentioned, there is scientific evidence to suggest that the brains of people aged 18, 19 and 20 are still forming – suggesting that, in some cases, youngsters in that age bracket could be exposed to making ‘impaired’ decisions.
Although it would take a major regulatory change to alter the minimum gambling age to, say, 21, there is already a precedent for this in the UK: in April 2021, the legal age for playing the National Lottery was increased from 16 to 18.
The legal gambling age in some countries, including the USA, Belgium, Germany and parts of Asia and Africa, is 21, so there’s already the platform of an argument in place to raise it in the UK, too.
The Arguments Against Increasing the Minimum Gambling Age
The UK gambling age debate has to be framed alongside other ‘adult’ activities.
People can start a family at 16 and could, for many years, walk into their local shop and buy a lottery ticket. It has also been confirmed that sixteen-year-olds will soon be able to vote in elections.
At 17, they can learn to drive a car; those that pass their test early are set free on Britain’s often chaotic roads as a teenager.
At the age of 18, they can drink alcohol or buy cigarettes… both items that can do serious harm to health.
When viewed through this prism, why would the gambling age be raised to 21? Clearly, UK law treats people as young as 16 as ‘adults’, if we consider the acts that are legal to them, and so by the time they reach 18 they are ready to have the autonomy to make other decisions with regards to their personal finances and health.
In much of Europe, the legal gambling age is 18. If those individual nations have determined that 18 is an appropriate age, why should the UK change their own legislation?
Most betting sites offer players of all ages the opportunity to cap their spending on their gambling, through the use of deposit and stake limits. These are optional, of course, but allow people to control their spending… not all retailers, websites and apps have these in place in other industries, it’s worth remembering.
Will the UK Government Raise the Legal Gambling Age?
At the time of writing, there’s no indication that the UK government will raise the legal gambling age from 18 to 21.
Ministers are satisfied that 18 is the appropriate age at which people can begin to express autonomy on how they spend their money, while the responsible gambling tools offered by online betting sites act as another line of defence against problematic behaviours.
But that’s not to say the government and its appointed regulator are averse to age-related changes to the gambling sector. In 2025, a series of UKGC policy updates introduced new slot stake limits: £2 per spin for players aged 18-25 and £5 per spin for players aged 25+.
So, as you can see, the UK government – while showing no appetite for raising the gambling age – is determined to ensure that younger players are protected… although some critics have labelled these stake limits as draconian in nature.
The UK Gambling Age Debate: What Happens Next?
At the time of writing, there are no plans to raise the legal gambling age in the UK.
The government has instead imposed slot stake limits on younger players in the 18-25 range, which – for now at least – will help to keep the minimum age at 18.
It’s not impossible that other such measures will be introduced for other forms of casino game, such as roulette and blackjack, although these aren’t as popular with the younger demographic.
One day, the government might increase the legal gambling age to 21 or higher. But, for now, that seems unlikely to happen without considerable opposition within the House of Commons.
