Teen gambling doubles in Ireland amid major cultural shift

Studies have shown that Irish teens are turning to gaming and gambling as opposed to drinking and smoking. Rates of teen gambling in Ireland are above the European average.

According to Bank of Ireland, 18 to 25-year-olds are gambling more, with the amount of money spent on gambling increasing by 19% across the first three months of 2025.

Online gambling rates have doubled in 2024 compared to 2019, to 14% amongst teens. In 2023, research showed that 22.9% of 16-year-olds in Ireland had participated in gambling.

There has also been a rise in problem gambling behaviour, too, with rates doubling in just five years. An overall cause for concern is that Ireland has a 3.3% problem gambling rate — one of the highest amongst European countries.

What are regulators doing to help stop these issues? Find out more below.

Impact of gaming

The number of people in Ireland participating in online gaming has also dramatically increased. The percentage of 15 to 16-year-olds who have gamed in the last year rose by 57% in 2024 compared to 2019.

Issues of online gaming have become so much of a problem that the chief executive of CyberSafeKids, Alex Cooney, has said that:

“In extreme cases I have heard of people wearing nappies when they are gaming so they won’t have to stop what they are doing and go to the bathroom.”

This may be, in part at least, a contributing factor as to why online gambling amongst teens has surged. Studies have demonstrated that some of the most-played video games are encouraging kids and teens to participate in online gambling.

Not only this, but research has also shown that online gaming has led to problems with addiction.

Teenagers themselves believe that they have a problem with gaming, so much so that one in five have stated that it has become an issue.

The gamification in the gambling industry is a likely reason why many teenagers are turning to online gambling.

What are regulators doing about this issue?

The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) has initiated plans to impose heavy penalties on companies that allow children to gamble.

Safeguarding children has become the main priority for the GRAI, with the regulator stating:

“Child protection is one of the key principles of the Gambling Regulation Act 2024 and will therefore be a major focus of our work.”

Penalties on firms that allow children to gamble could be as high as €20 million and could see those responsible imprisoned for up to eight years.

Debit card blocks

Bank of Ireland is also attempting to help with potential gambling issues. They have introduced a tool allowing people to block debit cards for gambling transactions, including online casinos, slots, and the lottery.

Chief customer officer at the Bank of Ireland, Áine McCleary, has said that:

“Problem gambling can have a devastating effect not just on the person involved, but also on families, friends and loved ones.”

"For those with a gambling addiction it can often seem like help is out of reach. This initiative we are launching is designed to help customers take positive steps to improve control over their finances."

Irish gambling crackdown

The overall crackdown on the Irish gambling industry will not occur until 2026. This means that the GRAI will have to wait until then to enforce rules such as credit card bans, licensing, and fines.

The GRAI is also aiming to launch a National Gambling Exclusion Register. This would mean that people could register for a service that bans them from accessing gambling operators.

Nevertheless, the pertinent issues are clear, particularly amongst young people. CEO of the GRAI, Anne Marie Caulfield, has said that:

“One of the first things I did was commission a study by the ESRI and they found that gambling harm is ten times higher in Ireland than previously thought.”