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Qualitative research conducted by 2CV, with 11 to 17 year olds, to build on and contextualise the findings from the annual Young People and Gambling survey.
Published: 25 February 2025
Last updated: 25 February 2025
This version was printed or saved on: 2 May 2025
Online version: https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/report/young-people-and-gambling-qualitative-research
Gambling is a popular pastime in Great Britain, including among young people, with 27 percent having spent their own money on gambling and 44 percent having experienced gambling in the past year (Young People and Gambling Survey, 2024). Most gambling activities among young people involve legal, age-appropriate activities like arcade machines, family sweepstakes, or betting with friends and these experiences often occur under parental supervision.
However, 6 percent of 11 to 17 year olds report spending money on age-restricted, regulated gambling activities, such as fruit or slot machines or betting, raising concerns about exposure to potentially harmful behaviours. This highlights a need to better understand the pathways through which young people engage with gambling and to address the blurred lines between legal, supervised activities and potentially risky, unsupervised gambling behaviours.
2CV were commissioned by the Gambling Commission to conduct qualitative research with young people, aged 11 to 17 years old, to build on and contextualise the findings from their annual Young People and Gambling Survey and strengthen the evidence base.
The aim of the research was to ‘tell the story’ of young people’s experiences of gambling and to further develop the Commission’s understanding of how young people are introduced to gambling products and activities that are new to them. The research also focused on understanding the impact of gambling activities on young people, especially where it might be associated with risky or harmful gambling.
This qualitative evidence will help inform regulations and licensing and provide advice to parents and young people.
The gambling landscape is notoriously complex, evolving rapidly in response to shifting regulations, technology and market dynamics, making it challenging even for adults to navigate. This complexity is mirrored in the findings of this research, where young people experienced a blurring of boundaries due to their limited ability to recognise some activities as gambling, to distinguish between legal and illegal gambling activities or fully understand the impact and consequences of gambling behaviours. In an online environment that is largely unfiltered and unsupervised, young people are regularly exposed to gambling without fully grasping its proximity to their daily lives or its potential impact over time. This research expands on our existing understanding, in particular across 5 factors that exemplify the experiences of young people and gambling in Great Britain today:
The sphere of influence for 11 to 17 year olds now extends well beyond close family and peers, encompassing celebrities, online influencers, and sports figures, particularly footballers. These figures significantly shape young people's perceptions of the world, including attitudes toward gambling. Formal partnerships and endorsements between celebrities, sports professionals, and gambling organisations increase the likelihood of young people being exposed to gambling-related content.
The widespread ownership and use of personal technology (smartphones, tablets, laptops, and gaming consoles) among young people, combined with unsupervised access to social media, has amplified their exposure to gambling. This research highlights how young people encounter gambling advertisements on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. In addition, advertisements and sponsorships seen on mainstream TV channels, as well as through sporting apps (where young people can follow live results) are subtle forms of everyday ‘always on’ exposure. At its most unfiltered and unsupervised level is exposure to online content creators who are showing young people how to gamble and sharing outcomes of high-stake games.
Not all exposure to gambling is detrimental to young people. Early introductions to gambling can provide ‘safe' opportunities to learn about gambling style activities within family environments - for example teaching young people about setting spending and time limits, managing money, experiencing winning and losing. However, as children get older and the sphere of influence broadens (particularly online), there is a shift in the nature of exposure, and a reduction in opportunities to learn about gambling in safe, supervised environments. Examples of this can be seen in the video gaming space, where young people are exposed to gambling type activities for example casino spaces in Grand Theft Auto. Parental supervision may well focus on violent or inappropriate content, time spent online or who their children are playing with rather than exposure to gambling type activities.
While gaming is popular across genders, boys often engage more intensely in video gaming. This intensifies the overlap between gaming, gambling and gambling like features, especially with in-game purchases. Higher disposable incomes at this age, combined with limited financial literacy, may lead to a heightened risk of gambling-related issues. In addition, young boys with a keen interest and passion in sports, particularly football, have heightened exposure and see a normalisation of gambling because of the links between football clubs, betting apps and sponsorship by gambling organisations.
Many young people have a misunderstanding of gambling, often associating it with negative connotations but lacking nuanced awareness and knowledge of its risks and complexities. Young people find it easier to personify the ‘problem gambler’ - often using blunt descriptors such as lonely, old, male. They find it much harder to describe risks or problem gambling behaviours, particularly within the context of their lives. In addition, very few have an understanding of the impact of problem gambling to the individual (such as anxiety, depression, stress) and those affected by problem gambling.
2CV conducted multi-method and iterative qualitative research with 30 young people across Great Britain to gain a rich insight into the lives of young people and their exposure to, and experiences of, gambling.
Fieldwork took place during the school summer holidays in 2024 and as the 2024 to 2025 Championship and Premier league seasons started – given that teenage boys’ exposure to gambling is heightened through their interest in football, it will be worth keeping the timing of the start of the football season in mind when reading the findings in this report.
The research included 3 key stages. All 30 young people took part in the first 2 stages and a smaller cohort of 10 young people took part in the third stage.
2CV conducted 6 face-to-face, 90-minute gaming immersions with friendship groups with 5 young people in each group. The gaming immersion was led by a 2CV researcher and took place in the home of the lead participant.
At the recruitment stage, the lead young person, and their parent or guardian, was given detailed and visually engaging information sheets to explain the aim of the research, what the research involved and what they needed to do in advance. As part of the recruitment stage, the lead young person, with parental or guardian support, was tasked with selecting 4 friends to bring along to the in-home session and the young person was provided with clear instructions to help them select friends. To create the most comfortable and engaging group dynamic, and ensure a good mix of ages, the lead young person was asked to invite friends in their school year (did not have to be the same school), ideally those who enjoyed, or at least had experience of, playing video games and, most importantly, friends who would feel comfortable speaking in a group setting and sharing their personal opinions.
After initial introductions, each in-home session began with a gaming activity, with the friendship group choosing the game they wished to play. This initial immersive gaming experience provided a unique window into gaming behaviours in action and how these could be an early pathway into gambling through the presence of gambling-like activities within gaming, like purchasing loot boxes and skins. It provided the ideal ice breaker into an open and honest conversation about gambling and different types of gambling activities. The friendship group approach to the session provided an ideal opportunity to explore peer relationships and discuss young peoples’ awareness of, and attitudes towards, gambling activities in a safe and familiar household setting. Young people were comfortable in the presence of their peers to open up about their lives and experiences.
All 30 young people from the in-home gaming immersions were invited to complete a follow-up, online journal — accessible on phone, tablet and computer - and were given the option to respond with text, photo, audio and video over the course of 7 days. All tasks were private response tasks and were designed to encourage young people to share their honest opinions relating to gambling in a safe online setting. The interface of the journal app that was used took inspiration from social media apps and was therefore familiar and intuitive to young people.
There were 4 tasks in total which explored young people’s:
The online journal provided an insight into the daily realities of young peoples’ lives and highlighted their exposure to gambling through a repeatable ‘gambling diary’ task. Crucially, the individual feedback enabled young people to share their experiences without potential fear of judgment from their peers.
In the final stage of the research, 10 young people, across the different age groups, were selected to share their personal stories through one-to-one, 45-minute ‘Story Spotlight’ online interviews. The same 2CV researcher that they had met during their in-home immersion session led and moderated the interview to create safety and familiarity.
The interviews were participant-led with the researcher tailoring interviews based on individual feedback during the first 2 research stages. Key topics included discussing any recent experiences of gambling - either personal experiences or experiences of observing a friend or family member taking part in a gambling activity - their individual understanding of gambling and attitudes towards different gambling activities.
Finally, each young person was asked to explore youth adapted problem gambling statements and harms statements through online ‘cue cards’ that they could sort using Miro as the sorting platform. The statements were taken from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition - Multiple Response Juvenile (DSM-IV-MR-J) and are asked on the annual Young People and Gambling Survey. This qualitative research was an opportunity to explore the statements with the ability to ask follow-up questions. The young people were asked to read each cue card carefully and tell the researcher where they felt the statement best fit across 3 categories: No experience; Understand but no experience; Have experienced. For each card, the 2CV researcher asked the young person why they had placed the card in 1 of the 3 categories and ensured that the young person was comfortable to continue with the activity given potential sensitivities.
30 young people across England, Scotland, and Wales took part in the qualitative research. The sample was split equally across gender, social grade (mix of BC1 and C2D) (opens in new tab), and ethnicity (ensuring good representation across the sample). The sample was split across the following pre-defined age bands and those in the 2 oldest age bands, 15 to 16 years old and 16 to 17 years old, had mixed gender groups.
Each friendship group belonged to the same school year group such as Year 7 (11 to 12 years old) for England or S1 for Scotland.
All participants were required to have gambling experiences within the past 12 months - for example, helping a parent pick a lottery number or going to the arcade. Each young person was also required to have some level of gaming experience and/or experience of other activities which have similarities to gambling - this could be on a console, computer, tablet, handheld console, or a phone.
Friendship Group 1 - 11 to 12 years old, Year 7 - BC1, Female, Livingston, Scotland.
Friendship Group 2 - 12 to 13 years old, Year 8 - C2D, Male, Cardiff, Wales.
Friendship Group 3 - 13 to 14 years old, Year 9 - BC1, Male, Liverpool, England.
Friendship Group 4 - 14 to 15 years old, Year 10 - C2D, Female, London, England.
Friendship Group 5 - 15 to 16 years old, Year 11 - BC1, Male Lead, Mixed, Swansea, Wales.
Friendship Group 6 - 16 to 17 years old, Year 12 - C2D, Female Lead, Mixed, Glasgow, Scotland.
The qualitative methodology for this research provided a rich, varied, and authentic insight into young peoples’ worlds and their day-to-day exposure to gambling. The research helped to uncover the ‘why’ behind the behaviours and attitudes of the young people who took part. Young people not only reported their attitudes, perceptions and experiences, but also provided visual evidence that could be explored through subsequent contact with 2CV researchers.
Through a mixed methodology of in-home friendship group sessions, individual online journals and one-to-one depth interviews, the research provided a deeper understanding of how gambling (legal and illegal) plays out in the lives of young people aged 11 to 17 years old and was a safe space for young people to share their opinions and tell their stories. The stories of young people were told through a mix of photos, voice notes and written verbatims.
Young people were asked to give a significant contribution of their time for the research. 2CV ensured that each young person and parent or guardian had the information they needed in the format of a visually engaging information pack - helping them to make an informed decision about whether they wanted to take part or not.
Building on 2CV’s experience working on projects relating to youth culture and gaming, the in-home gaming immersion sessions (in friendship groups) provided the ideal icebreaker into open and honest conversations about gambling activities (legal and illegal). The sessions provided a unique window into gaming behaviours in action and were the ideal gateway to explore peer relationships and exposure to gambling activities in a safe setting.
The online journals were a safe space for young people to share more reflective individual thoughts about gambling exposure and gambling experiences in their daily lives. All tasks were completed in private and could be completed at a time that suited the young person.
Finally, the spotlight one-to-one depth interviews were an opportunity for individual stories to be shared privately and honestly. The 2CV moderators were known and familiar to participants; they were matched from the in-home immersion sessions and the moderation of the online journals, so the same moderator (2CV researcher) led the spotlight interview with the young person they had previously met in person.
With a small qualitative sample of 30 participants, it was possible to gain a picture of how young people feel about, describe and experience gambling and gambling-like activities. However, the findings are, of course, not representative of the attitudes and experiences of all young people aged 11 to 17 years old across England, Scotland and Wales.
The friendship group approach to recruitment made the initial contact and peer recruitment less direct as the lead participant was responsible for choosing the friends to bring along to the in-home gaming immersion. However, 2CV provided the lead participant in the friendship group with a clear information sheet and criteria for who they should ideally bring along to the group session. While we acknowledge the selection bias inherent in peer recruitment, the aims of the research were to foster openness and trust in discussing the issues of gambling exposure. As the research explored the interpersonal dynamics within friendship groups through gaming immersions, pre-existing relationships between young people were necessary to achieve this.
As a qualitative piece of research, the findings in this report are indicative of the attitudes and behaviours of young people aged 11 to 17 years old across England, Scotland and Wales. A quantitative study would provide a more robust read of the same attitudes and behaviours through a larger sample size and a breakdown of key statistics such as measuring the strength of the qualitative insights against robust statistics.
When there is a reference to ‘young people’ in this report, this is referring specifically to the young people that took part in this research and any additional references they have made about known peers outside of this research.
‘Gambling’, as a term and set of behaviours, is complex and multifaceted. Depending on upbringing, personal experiences and different social contexts, for young people, gambling encompasses a broad spectrum of regulated and unregulated activities.
‘Gambling’ can be interpreted in different ways depending on the individual and their specific context and knowledge. For this report, we will be referring to the term, ‘gambling’, through the eyes of 30 young people aged 11 to 17 years old in England, Scotland and Wales, and based on their understanding and interpretation when taking part in qualitative research.
Given the complexity of the terminology and range of regulated and unregulated forms of gambling that exist, the young people in this research did find it difficult and confusing to fully grasp which specific activities are ‘gambling’ activities. Young people identified the National Lottery, fruit or slot machines, betting in betting shops or on websites, bingo and casinos as gambling and these were the most salient and well-known types of gambling activities.
By comparison, young people had greater difficulty categorising activities such as arcade gaming machines, betting in social settings and playing cards for money as gambling. In addition, gambling style features in video and online gaming, were completely overlooked. Young people consistently mentioned early experiences of arcade gaming machines, usually played during fun days out with friends or family. For them the presence of parental consent and/or adult supervision as well as low amounts of money spent, distinguished arcade gaming machines from what they perceived to be gambling.
It is important to keep this in mind when reading this report. There are instances, for example, where young people may contradict themselves in their responses; this is primarily driven by the complexity of the topic of gambling and a lack of nuanced understanding relating to regulated and unregulated forms of gambling.
For additional context, the Gambling Commission regulates gambling operators and key individuals. Regulation is designed to ensure children and young people are unable to gamble on age-restricted products licensed by the Commission. In addition to products licensed by the Commission, this report, like the Young People and Gambling Survey, will refer to a number of gambling activities which sit outside the Commission’s remit and are legally available to children and young people.
"I often look up to influencers I see on social media. These girls such as Tallulah Metcalfe and Ami Charlize share their lives online and have very relatable content. I often look at their pages when I need something to relate to but also for inspiration.”
Female, 15 to 16 years old, Wales
Previous research conducted by 2CV highlighted the significant role of family and friends in shaping children and young people perceptions and understanding of gambling. This research builds on our understanding of young people’s sphere of influence and how now, in 2024, the ecosystem of influence extends beyond close and trusted family and friends to that of celebrities and online influencers. Young men discussed the role of sporting idols and in particular, aspirational footballers (owing to their perceived football skills, high earnings, lifestyle involvement in ‘giving back’). As one young person noted;
“Wilfred Zaha donates 10 percent of his football wage to charity which is probably a lot of money as he earns a lot. I want to be a footballer, earn a lot of money and give back to people in need.”
Male, 12 to 13 years old, Wales
The backdrop to this widening pool of influence comes at a time of significant adolescent developmental changes, both emotionally and physically. During this time, young people are starting to shape their identities, form passions and develop personal interests in music, sport, gaming, hanging with friends, films, fashion, tech, social media. Their network of influence aligns to these emerging new tastes and interests:
“I look up to many music artists as I see music as a coping method. For example, Amy Winehouse. Although her story is sad, she cared for other people and her fans… this inspires me a lot to live life to the fullest.”
Female, 15 to 16 years old, Wales
This shows us how young people’s once small, familiar networks of influence have expanded to include individuals who may not share their values or may have different attitudes towards things like gambling. That is not to say that family and peers are always positive influences - for example, we heard examples of young people being introduced to betting apps through their parents or peers shaping competitive play behaviours. However, as the next section highlights, external voices, prevalent in the online spaces where young people spend much of their time have the potential to shape young people’s attitudes and behaviours around gambling.
“We were in the car for ages, so I was on my phone. I saw lots of bet365 adverts and Paddy Power and when I went on the football flash score website, I saw loads more.”
Male, 12 to 13 years old, Wales
The increasing prevalence of technology among children and young people is well documented, with mobile phone usage among 11 to 17 year olds near ubiquitous. Ofcom reported in 2024 that 99 percent of children spend time online, with 9 in 10 children owning a mobile phone by the age of 11 years old. Almudena Lara (Ofcom Online Safety Policy Director) mentions that there is a “blurred boundary between the lives children lead online and the ‘real world’” (opens in new tab). A separate 2023 survey (opens in new tab) found of UK children aged 12 to 15 years old that 83 percent played online games with online gaming among children experiencing a huge jump in popularity during COVID-19 (coronavirus).
Young people’s reliance on phones, tablets, and gaming consoles has grown significantly, a trend accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic. The restrictions on face-to-face interactions during this time fostered more solitary behaviours, with many young people spending increased time online, often in their bedrooms, away from parental oversight.
Digital platforms became the primary medium for socialising and connecting with peers, forming the foundation of their new social interactions and friendships. This shift, coupled with the natural developmental desire for independence and peer engagement, has established a technology-driven lifestyle for young people as the norm.
This research highlighted 2 main ways in which young people encountered gambling in their digital world:
Young people had high levels of spontaneous awareness of gambling companies.
“I was just watching the press conference with Erol Bulut, the Cardiff City [Football] Manager, on Instagram and there was lots of advertising logos in the background including gambling ones. I noticed Bet 365, Paddy Power, and William Hill.”
Male, 12 to 13 years old, Wales
This highlighted how gambling advertisements were subtly embedded within their social media platforms and when attending sporting events, creating exposure that often went unnoticed. While gambling advertising in adult-oriented spaces like pubs, walking past betting shops, and sports venues were easily recognised, advertising and sponsorships in the digital world were far more subtle, frequently slipping under the radar.
Some young people had downloaded sports apps onto their phones (for example LiveScore and FotMob) or had access to friends and family members apps. These apps provided another everyday channel for young people to be exposed to advertising, sponsorship and promotions particularly when checking the latest sporting scores results and scores.
“I've been looking at the football scores all day when I can get signal. I saw bet 360 and BetFred adverts then. I'm also looking forward to the Cardiff city game tomorrow and when I checked the times of the game it told me the odds.”
Male, 12 to 13 years old, Wales
A few young people shared examples of friends whose Dads’ have set them up on sports betting apps - typically, older teenage boys aged 15 years and older. When discussed, many young people felt that these specific apps might be the gateway into more risky, longer term gambling behaviours and explained how some of their friends have already started to lose a significant amount of money and have expressed a desire to place bets on a regular basis.
[Using betting apps] “I know they went through their Dad to do it [bet], because obviously, when you’re 15, you can’t place a bet can you? So, I know they went through their Dad to do it.”
Male, 16 to 17 years old, Scotland
Among older participants (16 to 17 years old), exposure to gambling was more prevalent, highlighting the increased risks with more unsupervised time spent online. To that extent, social media allowed young people to:
[Gambling content on TikTok] “It’s random, so on your ‘For You’ page, it would just be a guy and then if he’s happy, if he’s won it… Like a role play of it, how it could be done.”
Female, 16 to 17 years old, Scotland
Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitch were frequently discussed during the research and examples shared of seeing gambling content on their curated ‘For You’ pages. In addition, content creators were seen as not only promoting direct gambling activities but also incorporating gambling-like features, such as loot boxes, into their content. In addition, young people were also exposed to videos of bets being placed and top tips from people who gamble in games on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and live streaming sites, like Twitch or Kick as related here:
“There are streamers online, like Yung Filly, that will play a game of FIFA, and they’ll have £10k on the line… they’re a wee bit older, early twenties, but their fan base are 16, 17, 18 years old.”
Male, 16 to 17 years old, Scotland
Through the examples that young people shared during the research and their surprise at the presence of gambling exposure in their daily lives, the findings highlight that exposure to gambling can vary substantially. Moreover, the findings reveal how social media blurs the lines between gaming and gambling and how gambling behaviours can be subtly embedded within everyday digital interactions. Content creators, often trusted by young audiences are ‘teaching’ young people gambling behaviours in spaces that are not monitored by parental or trusted adult supervision.
“While scrolling on Instagram reels, a video of a person gambling popped up.”
Male, 16 to 17 years old, Scotland
In summary, young people’s lives are increasingly shaped by the digital world, with significant time spent online, often alone. This creates diverse opportunities for gambling exposure, ranging from sports sponsorships on TV to more concerning activities such as online content creators showcasing bets, sharing wins and losses, and providing gambling tips. The young people taking part in this research were surprised at the nature and regularity of gambling exposure in their ‘world’. This suggests that young people's gambling exposure is low conscious and typically goes unnoticed.
“I know that one of my friends (age 15), he has tons of gambling apps. I always tell him to delete them because he always tells me how he’s lost money and then he’ll be really sad. Then he’ll gain money and he’ll be really happy, so he won’t delete them.”
Female, 14 to 15 years old, London
In 2CV’s previous research, we found that engaging with gambling or gambling style activities during childhood was common, but participation was primarily passive - typically a product of being present and/or involved with other people’s gambling, rather than actively ‘faking’ age to gamble underage.
This was supported by 2CV’s latest research - with young people’s early exposure to, and education of gambling, often as a result of gambling activities with or organised by adults, such as category D Machines (such as penny pushers) on family trips to the arcades, fairs, and beaches.
For young people, Category D machines are associated with fond childhood memories and not considered as gambling. Often part of special occasions on family days out, holidays at the beach or trips to the arcade, fair or theme park they can be seen as bonding moments with family or friends. As highlighted in the ‘defining gambling through the eyes of young people’ section, because of the relatively small amounts of money spent, arcade gaming machines, like penny pushers and claw grab machines, are types of gambling activities where the direct links to ‘gambling’ were less understood. However, they did provide positive learning behaviours as they experience safe forms of winning and losing.
Sarah, 12 years old, from Scotland fondly remembers visiting arcades whilst on holidays with her family in their caravan. She remembers playing and ‘actually’ winning on the claw machine and associates them with fun memories she has at that time and moments to bond with her family. Generally, she relates arcade machines to these moments of fun where she is trying to win a teddy bear after multiple attempts and celebrating with her family. It is also with her family that she remembers times of spending beyond the limit (£3) and feeling guilty that she needed to tell her Mum. Despite being aware of the risks and having occasionally spent more than she wanted to, she still views the experience as a fun part of a day out at the arcade.
"When I went on holiday to the caravan, I actually went on a claw machine, and I actually won."
In addition, as figure 1 shows, young people were often introduced to age-restricted forms of gambling by taking part in gambling activities organised or facilitated by adults (using parents’ money to pay for these different types of gambling activities, rather than their own money). Examples of other forms of early supervised gambling style activities for young people came in the form of shared family moments with examples including:
"One of my friends started when they were 15-ish. That’s because their Dad let him put a bet on every once in a while. So, he’d put like a tenner on, but it would be some outrageous bet which he had no chance of winning."
Male, 16 to 17 years old, Scotland
Limited to no awareness of gambling.
Enjoying the experience of going to the arcade, fairs, and beach with family.
Still going to the arcade, fair, and beach but starting to have these experiences with friends and less adult supervision. Experiencing, but not aware of, gambling like features in games they play for example Roblox and FIFA.
Greater independence, more gambling experiences without supervision, and using their own money more often.
Experiencing a mix of real-life gambling activities, for example less frequent arcade trips, and online gambling like features via console gaming.
Becoming more aware of gambling ads in day-to-day lives, through sport (sponsorships and advertising) and social media.
Greater exposure to friends or family gambling, more occurrences of it in conversations.
Extra disposable income from part-time work can create more opportunities to gamble.
Some are introduced to sports betting apps by family or friends and may be starting to move to more age-restricted activities through the setting up of online accounts.
The search for independence increases as young people grow up - from 13 years old and above, vulnerability increases with increased exposure to gambling and more disposable income.
We heard that other factors such as religion can have an impact on experiences and actions, with religion in some instances acting as a barrier to gambling activities with family.
"As a 17 year old, my experience in gambling is very limited. The only times I’ve gambled is when I’ve been with my friends as, in my religion, you’re technically not meant to gamble (Islam). When we do bet it would be with small sums or a forfeit that someone must do."
Male, 16 to 17 years old, Scotland
This early form of supervision is clearly an important part of young peoples’ early exposure to gambling-like activities and the education and learning that comes from adult supervision. Practicing and learning from less risky forms of gambling-like activities have the potential to equip them with financial skills in later life, particularly as the ‘stakes’ are lower. This idea of ongoing behavioural learning and development also relates to how young people learn about money. The research conducted by 2CV on behalf of Money and Pensions Service (opens in new tab) showed how young people lacked the opportunities to ‘practice’ money management. Those who did experience financial regrets spoke of the importance of ‘learning’ from their mistakes.
Conversations on limiting spending and time, seeing and experiencing ‘winning and losing’ (as noted in the quote below) is a critical first step in the journey of understanding how to gamble responsibly.
"I spent over the limit [£3] and then I had to tell my Mum, but my Mum was understanding because I wanted to get something really badly… She said don’t spend that much money again because you can spend it on saving it for something or you can get sweets or something like that."
Female, 11 to 12 years old, Scotland
As our research has shown, the expansions of young people’s sphere of influence from an early age raises questions around those initial educational pathways. Families can provide potential for positive learning experiences in safe environments (arcades, sweepstakes) which helps them to learn about boundaries, limits, impulses and shared positive values and attitudes around gambling. With more external influence, young people are more vulnerable to external outside influence that may not promote socially responsible messages around gambling. 2CV’s previous research highlighted just how much these early experiences matter as exposure to the extremes of gambling (for example major wins or losses) in childhood leads to an increased interest in gambling in later life - rather than frequent exposure to ‘neutral’ gambling.
In contrast to the more supervised exposure in early childhood described by young people, online gaming facilitates unsupervised exposure to gambling-like activities embedded within video games. Figure 2: ‘The gaming journey’ is an illustrative example of how gaming, gambling experiences and gambling exposure changes over time.
Playing games on phones and tablets of family members.
Making family trips to arcades, fairs, and beaches.
Often receive their first console and/or independent device. Start playing their own choice of games: LittleBigPlanet, Skylanders, LEGO videogames, Mario Kart, Just Dance, Plants vs Zombies.
Playing games such as Roblox, Minecraft, FIFA, and Among Us, Fall Guys - often with their friends.
Start playing online with friends more often, new ‘maturer’ games are played, slowly replacing the more childish games: Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto, Rainbow Six Siege are played alongside FIFA.
May also play individual games on phone for example during journeys and in school.
Start to play a smaller variety of games, playing a few games with friends online.
Making fewer trips to the arcade with the family, especially with friends.
Other extracurricular activities start to take more of a focus away from gaming - golf, fishing, exercise, music, concerts, socialising with friends.
Together, with the legal gambling activities that young people are engaging in (for example arcades), gaming is often one of the earliest exposures that young people have of experiences that are akin to gambling.
"In Grand Theft Auto I’ve lost nearly 5 million playing with my mates and having fun gambling [in the casino] there. In FIFA I’ve lost like 1 million coins across all the FIFAs due to the same reason [having fun with friends]"
Male, 13 to 14 years old, NW England
The research examined how young people engage in video gaming and game in the online world. It was clear that gaming was mostly conducted during free time outside school, either alone or with friends and was often spontaneous, influenced by the game or a friend’s availability.
The gaming immersion methodology provided a unique window into real-time behaviours, revealing how gambling-like activities in video games, such as loot boxes and skin gambling, could serve as early pathways into gambling. While young people initially failed to recognise these features as gambling-related, further discussion prompted them to draw connections between in-game items and gambling products.
To that extent, awareness and recognition of gambling-like features in gaming, such as loot boxes is highest among those who play FIFA (EAFC), Roblox and Call of Duty and are felt to have become a key part of playing these games.
In summary, this research has revealed the unique way in which playing video games may inadvertently be exposing young people to gambling-style activities which, similar to other forms of exposure, is also subtle and largely unrecognised. Embedded forms of gambling-like activities within video games such as Grand Theft Auto also provide young people with a virtual experience of casino-like environments, bypassing the restrictions of real-world casinos.
While Grand Theft Auto, rated 18 and over, is often accessed by underage players, unlike real casinos that require ID verification, online gaming lacks such checks.
This highlights the blurred boundaries for young people, who are legally restricted from physical gambling spaces yet can easily access similar activities online. Furthermore, given young peoples’ lack of spontaneous awareness of the connection between these activities and the links to gambling activities, it may also be that parents also have limited awareness. While the research did not speak to parents directly, it may be that parents’ attention and focus on risks of video gaming is directed elsewhere - for example, exposure to violent content, screen time, and who their children are playing with online, leaving the presence of gambling-style features largely overlooked. As we have seen in the previous section, unlike their parents, young people have grown up in a digital era (accelerated by COVID-19 (coronavirus)). That can result in a lack of parental awareness or knowledge of how gambling-like-features exist in video games and the potential risks associated with it.
"Gambling is a lot more common in life than I thought. I never really thought that some of the things I do regularly is considered gambling."
Male, 16 to 17 year olds, Scotland
"So, if a game’s on, or [for example] when the Euros were on, me and my friends, we downloaded apps and we put bets on these apps and stuff like that to make money."
Male, 16 to 17 years old, Scotland
The research found that teenage boys (with a particular interest in gaming and football) have a greater likelihood to gamble in the future because:
That is not to say that teenage girls do not play video games, play sports or spend money impulsively, but there are notable differences in the types of games and level of participation in these activities between boys and girls at this age.
While all young people recruited into the study played on gaming devices, data from Ofcom (opens in new tab) highlights the ubiquitous nature of gaming in children’s lives. About 9 in 10 children (89 percent) played video games, although not always in the same way. For example, gaming via a console or handheld games player was more common among boys (73 percent) than girls (45 percent). There were also differences in the types of games played, for example ‘shooter’ games such as Call of Duty or Star Wars: Battlefront were higher for boys (38 percent) than for girls (12 percent), and puzzles or quizzes were more likely to be played by girls (40 percent versus 23 percent).
Our research showed that within video games, it was predominantly boys who were engaging with these gambling-like features such as buying loot boxes and entering the Grand Theft Auto casino.
[In relation to FIFA packs and getting a team of the season card]
"With FIFA, you don’t know what you’re gonna get. So, the chances of getting a team of the season [card] is low, but then when you get that team of the season, you get adrenaline."
Male, 12 to 13 years old, Wales
Spending money in-game is perceived to add to the overall experience of a game - linking spending money with increasing chances of winning (pay-to-win) and heightening the fun and excitement of the game, often described as adding a ‘buzz’ when feeling bored or giving them a reason to show off in front of friends. To that extent, there was a clear link between video gaming, spending money (their own or their parents’) and increased engagement within video games for example buying FIFA (EAFC) packs, Call of Duty skins (character and gun) and battle pass, Fortnite skins and battle pass, Roblox loot boxes and Grand Theft Auto currency.
Larry, 13 years old, from Liverpool spends most of his free time in his room playing on his Xbox with his friends or by himself. Whether it is coming home from football or school, he is straight into his room and onto FIFA (EAFC) or Grand Theft Auto and will spend hours on it, only taking time away for food, school work or other activities (school, football, friends). For him, it is the enjoyment of being able to play video games online with his mates that he likes, but he finds that they are often cajoling each other to do things on the games whether it be buying FIFA packs on FIFA or spending hours in the casino on Grand Theft Auto (where there is no age restrictions to access). He feels that these are actions that he and his mates use to elevate the game for them, making them more exciting to play.
"In FIFA, I spent nearly 100 quid on packs [loot boxes], and then 50 quid on FIFA points so that’s quite a lot of money when you think about it."
The girls who participated in this research were less interested in buying loot boxes or engaging in other forms of in-game purchasing. Some of the girls shared examples of buying loot boxes in the past but have become less interested as they get older, being motivated to take part in gaming with their friends to enjoy a “healthy sense of competition”. One young person discussed their reasoning for buying a loot box in the past:
"When you play Roblox you just get one basic avatar that everyone has. Then if you spend Robux [Roblox currency] you can change your hair and get a new outfit… and you look nicer when you play."
Female, 15 to 16 years old, Wales
"I have only ‘gambled’ once. This was when me and my friends from school did a fantasy football tournament for the World Cup in 2022. We all placed £10 in and whoever won would take all the money. The reason I gambled was because all my friends were, and it also added more excitement to the game."
Male, 16 to 17 years old, Scotland
Placing bets between friends was a pastime among some of the teenage boys - particularly those who had a part-time job and access to their own money, taking place both in the online and real-world environments:
Teenage boys often referred to these activities as ‘betting’, but framed them as safe and controlled forms of gambling. These ‘unregulated’ gambling activities, the second most common gambling activity among 11 to 17 year olds (Young People and Gambling Survey 2024) are perceived low risk by young people in this research due to the low amounts of money involved and clear rules established between friends. For many, these activities had no adverse impact and even fostered positive behaviours, such as not expecting friends to pay if they lacked money or adjusting stakes to accommodate those with less to spend.
However, some highlighted how they had been exposed to more high stakes gambling through watching streamers. These influencers engaged in activities such as playing FIFA (EAFC) with opponents, risking over £10,000 for prizes - an example participants viewed as significantly more serious and concerning.
Jeevan, 17 years old from Scotland enjoys the occasions where he is watching or playing football and other sports with his mates. Sometimes, they place small bets between themselves during these occasions, wagering a little bit of money or some funny forfeits. For him this is different to the more ‘serious’ gambling he feels adults might take part in. He sees his ‘casual’ betting, during football, or in card games, or online games like FIFA and WGT Golf to be fine.
One thing he has noticed is that some of his mates are starting to use sport betting apps, which he thinks they have gained access to through their Dads. He has noticed that one friend feels a need to bet more often on random things, whilst another friend mentioned he lost money doing it. Despite these things, he admits that at times he feels tempted to join in, especially when he saw a friend win a decent amount during the Euros.
"I think who you surround yourself with is who you are… If you see your friends gambling, you see everyone around you gamble, you see your parents gamble, you’re more likely to do that as well."
Finally, through the examples that young people shared, it became clear that boys, in particular, are exposed to gambling through advertising and sponsorship in football and of football teams; this included seeing gambling advertising and sponsorship on matchdays, watching football on TV visiting football websites or apps.
"Today, we watched the Cardiff game. During half time, there were loads of betting adverts like bet365, Paddy Power and William Hill. I saw something about accumulators, and I asked my Dad about these. There were also lots of signs and logos on the screen and pitch. I’ve never noticed them before."
Male, 12 to 13 years old, Wales
Teenage boys’ association with sports, both in terms of participation, attendance and the adulation of sporting heroes, highlights just how frequent exposure to gambling can be. Teenage boys in particular are exposed to sporting gambling activities, such as betting within games and accumulators, which are now commonly prevalent in the sporting sector and on match day experiences.
[On gambling] "I think it’s a bit like an alcohol addiction. You know, people are lonely, so they'll sit there and drink. Some people are lonely, so they'll sit there and gamble."
Female, 14 to 15 years old, London
Young people hold a binary view of gambling. While the term ‘gambling’ has the largely negatively associations "addictive" or a "waste of money", different types of gambling activities can be seen positively as a light-hearted and a "fun" activity to be enjoyed with friends or family.
This highlights the complexity around the gambling landscape and associated language, the blurred lines between what is seen to be both safe and legitimate forms of gambling activities (often under the supervision of parents) and what is seen to be risky, such as the accumulation of debt through online gambling. As noted in ‘Defining gambling through the eyes of young people’, this misunderstanding may be driven by young people’s limited knowledge types of gambling activities that exist and especially how they can exist in the online world.
Harmful gambling activities:
Safe gambling activities (good and fun):
At its very basic level, there is a misunderstanding of what ‘gambling’ is as illustrated through the following quote:
"When you originally think of gambling, you think of big numbers, like a grand, 2 grand just putting into slot machines and that, while 2p machines, you didn't expect them to be gambling."
Male, 13 to 14 years old, Northwest England
This was common for most young people, who linked gambling to how much was being spent (and in their world the small stakes were often seen as harmless flutter), rather than playing games of chance for money.
In addition, there was a significant amount of ‘othering’ when it came to defining problem gambling. Young people found it easier to personify the ‘problem’ gambler as “old, white, single male”, “homeless” , “unemployed” someone with “no family” but struggled to go beyond these descriptions to imagine how someone more relatable to them could be experiencing the adverse consequences of gambling. Their strong, negative reaction to the term ‘gambling’ shows a clear association with potential adverse consequences, but uses descriptions as described in the following:
"Most of them would be homeless wouldn’t they, because they’ve all lost their money."
Male, 13 to 14 years old, Northwest England
"Typically, someone that maybe doesn’t have a job, or recently lost their job, like a midlife crisis?"
Female, 15 to 16 years old, Wales
To that extent, there is a limited understanding of the risks of gambling and how people may come to experience more harmful forms. While they associate the harmful end of gambling as ‘addictive’ there is little knowledge beyond “risky”, a “waste of money” and “putting money at risk”. Furthermore, the gambling activities and behaviours that may be markers of risk and harm are less understood.
"I think people can become addicted to that and think oh if I can win £30 in the lottery then, you know, I might go to the gambling machines then and that leads to a bigger addiction."
Female, 15 to 16 years old, Wales
"If you aren’t careful enough, I think maybe you get addicted to the thrill of it."
Female, 15 to 16 years old, Wales
The following example shows how a young person compares what could be a temporary 'addiction' on Grand Theft Auto to an implied bigger gambling 'addiction' which has the potential to damage someone’s entire life and lifestyle forever. This shows how young people are mindful of the risks and the severity of problem gambling but lack a complete understanding of how this might unfold in someone’s life.
"If someone gets too addicted to gambling on Grand Theft Auto, you can just uninstall it. But you can't uninstall your whole life."
Male, 13 to 14 years old, Northwest England
Some young people in the spotlight sessions (one-to-one interviews) shared that gambling is negatively impacting some of their friends - leading to a perpetual cycle of happiness and immediate gratification when they win but lower mood when they lose. An example was also shared of a close teenage friend being more likely to play when “feeling down” or “lonely”.
As a result, gambling and its associated risks and harms can mean different things for different young people, coupled with how diverse an individual’s exposure can be. This can further complicate the gambling landscape for young people, particularly the blurred lines between gaming and gambling which many are frequently engaged in.
This research highlights the multifaceted ways in which young people are exposed to gambling. The research has shown how in young people’s world, exposure can come in many different forms and layers. Not all supervised is ‘good’ and not all unsupervised is ‘bad’. Moreover, it’s the opportunity for young people to learn from exposure that is important. For example, how ‘exposure’ in safe settings (online or real world) can enable young people to practice positive behaviours (such as setting spending limits) and prompt conversations about what is safe and what the risks of harms might be. However, this research shows how quickly children can move away from the safe forms of exposure (for example arcades, penny pushers) to potentially unsafe forms in the digital world, which is largely unsupervised. Particularly concerning is the subtle and pervasive normalisation of gambling through unnoticed exposures such as online advertising, sponsorships, and gambling-like features embedded in young people's daily activities, that would not have happened to their parents.
The influence on young people has broadened significantly, now encompassing celebrities, sports icons, and content creators who play a pivotal role in shaping attitudes toward gambling. This expanded network creates diverse and often contradictory messages, adding complexity to an already blurred landscape where gambling’s risks and legality are not always clear. As young people navigate an increasingly digital world, they are constantly immersed in a landscape of ever-present influence.
Young peoples’ increasing engagement in online spaces exposes them to unrestricted and unfiltered influence. While early exposure to gambling often takes place in controlled, family-supervised settings, the online world now introduces unsupervised interactions. While some of those learning opportunities may be positive, the research has shown that many are not. Content creators are promoting underage gambling and video games include gambling style activities and chance to experience virtual gambling environments like casinos. Furthermore, more time spent online may increase heightened exposure, particularly among young people interested in sports due to the strong commercial links with the gambling industry.
Teenage boys, particularly those aged 16 years and older, are the most vulnerable to early gambling experiences, that may not be legal or safe. Their heightened engagement with video games containing gambling-like features such as FIFA (EAFC) packs, loot boxes, and virtual currencies fuels a thrill-seeking dynamic. Boys passionate about football face compounded risks due to the prevalence of gambling sponsorships and promotions in the sport. Additionally, part-time jobs provide disposable income, facilitating activities such as betting with friends or, in some cases, online betting enabled by family members.
The implications of this research extends beyond the Commission's remit and highlights the shared responsibility of key stakeholders - government, education charities, the gambling industry, and video game manufacturers - in improving young people’s understanding of gambling harms.
Young people and parents need to be made more aware of how exposure to gambling can be subtle and more common than they may think. In particular, parents focus on online risks (such as violence, inappropriate content and screen time) may underestimate how gambling-related content is present online. Parents and their children would benefit from support having more nuanced conversations around gambling to help address the misunderstandings that exist in what are legal and illegal forms, the risks and harmful problem gambling behaviours. In addition, parents would benefit from greater awareness and education around how gambling-like-activities feature in video games.
There was limited knowledge or understanding around spotting the markers of more risky gambling behaviours and links to impulsive spending behaviours (spending lots in short succession). In addition, young people were not aware of how problem gambling may impact someone, emotionally, physically or financially. Unlike more visible behaviours like alcohol or drug addictions, gambling harms are often hidden, and the signs can be misattributed to issues like stress, depression, anxiety. Further research that explores pathways to more risky gambling behaviours particularly among teenage boys with lived experience, could strengthen prevention efforts and raise awareness of red flags.
What protections should be put in place between sponsorship of sports and gambling?
How do we tackle tensions between legal and illegal forms of gambling that exists in everyday life?
What’s seen as ‘good’, ‘bad’, ‘legal and illegal?
How we deal with tensions around supervised and non-supervised?
2CV conducted 6 face-to-face, 90-minute gaming immersions with friendship groups with 5 young people in each group. The gaming immersion was led by a 2CV researcher and took place in the home of the lead participant.
The key topics were:
All 30 young people from the in-home gaming immersions were invited to complete a follow-up, online journal - accessible on phone, tablet and computer - and were given the option to respond with text, photo, audio and video over the course of 7 days.
There were 4 tasks in total which explored young people’s:
In the final stage of the research, 10 young people, across the different age groups, were selected to share their personal stories through one-to-one, 45-minute ‘Story Spotlight’ online interviews. The same 2CV researcher that they had met during their in-home immersion session led and moderated the interview to create safety and familiarity.
The key topics were: