Early gambling experiences and gateway products: new research findings
Commission Research and Impact Manager Lauren Cole discusses the findings from our recently published Young People and Gambling Survey 2025 and qualitative research with teenage boys and young men.
Posted 11 December 2025 by Lauren Cole
Understanding early gambling experiences and gateway products is one of our core evidence themes. Today, we’ve strengthened that evidence base, feeding into the ‘pathways into gambling amongst under 18s’ roadmap, by publishing a new report: Lived experiences of gambling in teenage boys and young men: Qualitative research. This study builds on previous findings that boys are at heightened risk of exposure to gambling and explores how these patterns continue into early adulthood.
Why focus on boys and young men?
Our latest Young People and Gambling Survey 2025, alongside the Gambling Survey for Great Britain, shows that boys and young men are more likely to experience gambling-related problems than other demographic groups.
We therefore commissioned HumanKind research to conduct qualitative research with teenage boys and young men to understand their gambling behaviours and the pathways that lead to risky activity.
What did we find?
HumanKind’s research reveals that pathways into gambling for teenage boys and young men look very different from previous generations. Today, the boundaries between play and risk are blurred, and gambling content is deeply embedded in the online world—sitting alongside gaming, social media, and entertainment.
For participants, gambling was highly visible across online spaces, sports culture, influencers, and social media. This aligns with the Young People and Gambling survey findings: 35 percent of boys reported exposure to gambling via influencers, compared to 21 percent of girls.
Despite this visibility, gambling literacy among this group is low. Confidence was high, but true understanding of odds and probability was very limited.
Risk builds over time
The research highlights that risk among this demographic is cumulative. It’s shaped by accessibility, social norms, impulsivity, financial freedom, and major life transitions. Key moments—such as turning 18, starting paid work, or going to university—often converge to heighten vulnerability. Risk builds gradually rather than stemming from a single event.
Some participants even acknowledged that their own willingness to take risks made them more susceptible to harm. This matches the survey findings: 39 percent of teenage boys identify as risk-takers, compared to 22 percent of girls.
Gender differences that matter
As a mum of two young boys, it’s unsettling to see the stark differences between boys and girls in our data. Boys are more likely to:
- be exposed to gambling online and offline
- encounter influencer-promoted gambling content
- spend their own money on gambling
- gamble alone
- take part in age-restricted activities
- identify as risk-takers
- score 4+ on the youth-adapted problem gambling screen.
What can parents and educators do?
HumanKind’s research identified potential risk factors to watch for—such as moments of transition and socially reinforced low-level play that can mask emerging harm. Building awareness of these combined risks, and recognising emotional and behavioural cues, could help teenage boys and young men spot when gambling or gambling-like activity is shifting from recreation to risk.
Looking ahead
These findings strengthen the evidence base and feed directly into our roadmap of pathways into gambling amongst under 18s, but our priority remains clear: we need robust longitudinal research to understand how early experiences influence later gambling behaviours and harm. In the meantime, raising awareness among parents, educators, and communities is key to reducing risk for teenage boys and young men.