Nationwide Building Society issues Brits new £745 warning | Personal Finance | Finance

Nationwide Building Society has issued a warning to British bank customers after recording a 7% surge in one type of spending. The high street financial institution conducted a survey of people who spend money on gambling, and found that one in 10 of them spend an average of £745 per month on the habit. The building society has urged those who don’t feel in control to seek help, as more gamblers plan to bet on large sporting events such as the World Cup on the horizon.

Nationwide recorded 9% rise in gambling spend since last year, with transaction volumes also up 7%. Meanwhile, the National Gambling Helpline, operated by GamCare, received 105,765 contacts from people seeking support in 2025 and made 996 referrals to treatment and peer-based support services in January 2026. This was up from 674 in January 2025, a 48% year-on-year increase. Fresh warnings are being issued ahead of the FIFA Men’s World Cup, Six Nations rugby and T20 cricket World Cup.

In Nationwide’s survey of 2,000 gamblers, 68% expect more in 2026 due to the busy sporting calendar. The building society introduced enhanced controls in 2024, including self-set gambling blocks, and found that around 10,000 are applied every month.

The survey also found that 10% of gamblers feel inclined to bet again when an earlier one doesn’t go their way. Meanwhile, 8% do not always feel in control when gambling, 6% say gambling has caused tension or conflict in their personal or family life, and 6% say gambling has negatively affected their standard of living.

“With a year of major sporting events ahead, we’re concerned that more people could find themselves gambling more than they can afford,” said Kathryn Townsend, Head of Customer Vulnerability for Nationwide. “That’s why early identification and strong safeguards matter.”

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Raminta Diliso, senior Pprtnerships manager for GamCare, said: “In a year where big sporting events such as the World Cup may be a trigger for those impacted, we want people to know there are things people can do to reduce the impact gambling is having on them.

“Activating gambling blocks, such as the one offered by Nationwide, and contacting GamCare’s National Gambling Helpline for free are great steps if you are struggling.”

According to GamCare, the signs of someone struggling with a gambling problem are:

1. Acting withdrawn and wanting to stay home frequently, needing to constantly check their phone for the latest results.
2. Noticeable changes in mood and behaviour, such as looking worried, agitated or upset for no obvious reason.
3. Sleep problems (caused by anxiety and consistent worry).
4. Financial signs such as money missing from bank accounts, borrowing more and always seeming to be short of money.
5. Lying about what they’re doing with their time, and asking for money to cover bills that might actually be used for more gambling.

Those concerned about their gambling habits can contact the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133.

Nationwide recorded 9,985,703 gambling transactions in January 2025, totalling £205,282,281. This jumped to 10,695,521 transactions worth £224,577,895 a year later.

“In addition to bank blocks, we would also recommend people self-exclude from gambling sites with Gamstop Online, and download Gamban onto their devices, to give added layers of protection,” GamCare advises.

Diliso explained: “Gambling harm is often a very hidden issue, but the problems it can cause people can be significant. Financial difficulties, mental health struggles and relationship challenges are all common impacts facing those who are struggling with gambling.”