Nearly 90% of kids see gambling ads online - survey reveals

Online gambling has an age restriction of 18 and above  - so why are we seeing a dramatic increase in the number of young people affected by gambling?

Advertising has long been blamed, and with social media, it’s no surprise.

A new survey by GambleAware was conducted with the aim of “understanding trends between online gambling content, and gambling attitudes...among children”. 

Summary of the survey 

The charity asked a group of 634 young people (13 - 17 year-olds) various questions to determine the levels of exposure to gambling they have experienced and how they feel about it.  

The survey discusses their answers, the impact of celebrity endorsements and gaming and what officials could do in response. 

They asked young people questions like “Do you ever see content that references gambling?” and “Would you like to see more or less of this content?” 

The main finding from the survey is that 87% of children in this age group have seen gambling content online. 

Key points

The conclusion of the survey highlights the “pervasive nature of gambling-related content in online spaces” and the changes that need to be made. Here are some of the most concerning statistics that GambleAware uncovered: 

• 1 in 6 of the survey participants stated that they had seen influencers gambling online.

• A quarter of the participants then went on to say that seeing this made them want to gamble. 

• 1 in 5 said they had seen influencers discuss their own gambling experiences. 

These are crucial points because it is hard to regulate social media influencers, and their content often blurs the line between promotion and harm reduction. 

Celebrities and influencers

With social media content creators being able to reach more and more people, most companies are now using them to expand their reach. 

However, celebrity endorsements can be risky because a lot of their audience is usually under the age of 18. 

Research shows that young people trust ‘influencers’, with almost half trusting social media for accurate news. Here are some surprising statistics from the survey involving celebrities: 

• 36% of boys aged 16 - 17 say they have taken part in gambling after seeing a celebrity do so. 

• 78% of participants agreed that people under 18 shouldn’t be exposed to gambling online. 

• 67% said that celebrities and influencers shouldn’t be allowed to promote gambling. 

Change is on the horizon

Another crucial reveal from the survey is that young people don’t want to constantly be exposed to gambling. 

Within the survey, “two thirds…expressed a desire to see less gambling-related material online.” 

Unfortunately, being aware of the dangers of gambling does not make it easier to avoid targeted advertising. 

Research even suggests that “those who engage in gaming for longer periods were more likely to encounter gambling content”. 

This is not the first time the connection has been made, with some levels of games mimicking gambling slots and introducing children to casino-like games. 

What next? 

Whilst this research is incredibly helpful and raises awareness as to what marketing children are exposed to, what does it actually mean for everyone? 

For young people, it shows that they are aware of the issue. Plenty of charities now focus specifically on raising awareness for young people with gambling issues such as Ygam and Gamcare.  

GambleAware claims that “wider issues around content on social media [are] not being adequately addressed by ASA’s current restrictions”. 

This survey highlights the necessity for new regulation which tailors to the social media world we are living in today. GambleAware is calling for stricter rules on content creators and advertising rules as so many young people have access to these platforms.