Key points:

  • 16% of British bettors have already used AI tools to guide gambling decisions in the past year.
  • Among young bettors aged 18-34, 33% report using AI for gambling, with another 19% saying they would consider it.
  • 26% of all bettors say they are likely to use AI for sports betting decisions in the next 12 months, rising to 43% among 18-34s.
  • 35% of bettors would use AI to research odds or learn games, while 31% see it as useful for betting tips or strategies.
  • Despite interest, resistance remains: 55% of bettors say they would not use AI to choose a bookmaker or gambling app.

Artificial intelligence is becoming a talking point in nearly every consumer industry, and gambling is no exception. From picking the right sportsbook to identifying which bets to place, bettors are increasingly considering how AI might shape their choices. While adoption is still relatively limited, YouGov data shows that openness to using AI is meaningfully present across a range of gambling activities — and crucially, many bettors say they’re likely to act on that openness in the year ahead. Bettors in this piece are defined as those who placed any type of bet, whether online or offline, in the past 12 months excluding lottery-only players.

Gambling decisions with AI

Just under a fifth of bettors (16%) say they have used AI tools in the past 12 months to help them make gambling-related decisions, ranging from choosing betting providers to which sports team to bet on. Another 14% say they have not yet used AI in this way but would consider doing so in the future.

The propensity to have used and to consider using AI in gambling decisions is higher among younger bettors. Among those aged 18–34, a third (33%) report having already used AI in this way, while another fifth (19%) say they would consider doing so in the future. On the other hand, only 4% of those aged over 55 have used AI for this purpose, and only 8% say they are considering it.

Wider uses of AI in gambling

When asked more broadly where they might consider using AI, bettors show interest across a range of supporting activities. About a fifth (22%) say they would consider using AI to help them choose a gambling site, bookmaker, or app — though this is also the area of greatest resistance, with a majority (55%) saying they would not consider AI for this purpose.

By contrast, more bettors are open to AI when it is positioned as an informational or educational tool. Over a third (35%) say they would use AI to research betting odds or statistics, while an identical share (35%) would turn to it to learn or understand how to play specific games. Around three in ten (31%) would consider using AI to plan or refine a betting strategy, and a similar proportion (31%) say they would use it for betting tips or predictions.

Younger bettors are more likely to express interest across nearly all of these functions. This suggests that while AI is seen as a potential companion tool in the gambling journey, enthusiasm is being driven disproportionately by younger demographics.

Likelihood of using AI for sports bets

Looking specifically at sports betting, intent to use AI in the near future is notable. Overall, about a quarter of bettors (26%) say they are very or fairly likely to use AI to help decide what sports bets to place in the next 12 months. Within this, 5% place themselves in the very likely category.

Among bettors aged 18–34, more than four in ten (43%) say they are likely to use AI for sports bet decisions. Among 35–54s, a quarter (25%) say the same, while just under one in ten (9%) of those aged 55+ expect to do so.

What it could mean for operators

While AI adoption for betting is still limited — fewer than one in five bettors currently use it for gambling decisions – intent measures suggest that adoption could grow in the future, particularly among younger demographics.

Operators could potentially weigh up the possibility of building AI-driven features directly into their platforms.