24 March 2026 - New analysis from PTSB shows gambling activity has declined in the four-week period around the Cheltenham Festival 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, with total gambling spend down 3% year-on-year, equivalent to a reduction of over €1.2 million.
The new research includes data from PTSB Gambling Block, a digital voluntary block introduced by the Bank last year to promote financial wellbeing and enable customers to stop card transactions involving gambling merchants.
Since the launch of the PTSB Gambling Block in July 2025, over 6,000 customers have activated the app tool with 74% of these customers retaining the block since, pointing to sustained behavioural change and continued engagement with the tool.
The data highlights a significant shift in behaviour among customers who previously gambled resulting in an overall estimated reduction in gambling spend of approximately €9 million in the period since the introduction of the app tool last year.
However, the analysis also shows a contrasting trend among customers who continue to gamble. Those active in both 2025 and 2026 have increased their spending by 6% year-on-year, suggesting a divergence in behaviour between customers who are reducing or stopping gambling and those maintaining activity. From a demographic perspective, gambling activity remains most prevalent among customers aged 40 to 49.
The month of March is traditionally one of the busiest times in the betting calendar coinciding with the Cheltenham Festival and other high-profile sports such as the Six Nations rugby tournament. The latest data shows further signs of changing behaviour.
In the three-week period to the conclusion of the Cheltenham Festival on 13 March 2026, the number of customers activating Gambling Block was almost double the number of those removing it. The first two weeks of March also saw a 4% increase in Gambling Block activations compared to the final two weeks of February.
Evidence of gambling is widespread in Ireland with ESRI research showing that around three quarters of people participate, while one in 30 experience problem gambling and many more report negative impacts.
“At PTSB, the financial wellbeing of our customers is paramount. Our Gambling Block allows customers to take control of their spending instantly within the app. While major sporting events like the Cheltenham Festival and the Six Nations traditionally drive strong betting activity, our data this year shows an overall reduction in gambling spend compared to last year, alongside strong and sustained use of our Gambling Block tool.
It is particularly encouraging to see that a large majority of customers who activate the block continue to keep it in place. This suggests lasting behavioural change and growing awareness of the tools available to help people manage their gambling activities.”
“Having tools like the PTSB Gambling Block available directly within a banking app is important, as it allows people to act quickly in the moment. That ability to pause gambling activity easily can help interrupt impulsive behaviour and support people to stay in control of their gambling habits.”
For media queries, please contact ed.micheau@ptsb.ie | 086 8037 155
Data is based on anonymised and aggregated PTSB customer transaction data in Ireland and covers Weeks 1 to 10 of 2025 and 2026. The PTSB Gambling Block was launched on 24 July 2025.
