Report
Lived experiences of gambling in teenage boys and young men: Qualitative research
Qualitative research to explore the lived experiences of teenage boys and young men aged 14 to 25 years.
Contents
- About the research
- Summary of findings
- Research approach
- Findings
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- Gambling literacy is low and often surface-level
- Gaming as a potential entry point to gambling
- Turning 18 marks a formal transition to "adult" gambling
- Gambling embedded in social life is more likely to persist
- Money matters more with age and experience
- Online exposure makes gambling feel ever-present
- Risks, impacts, and warning signs
- Conclusions
- Appendix
How teenage boys and young men define gambling
Participants’ understanding of what counts as “gambling” was often fluid and subjective. Most associated the term with formal, money-based activities such as betting on sports or using casino-style apps. However, when shown a broad list of gambling and gambling-like activities as part of the research stimulus and asked whether any felt relevant to their own experiences, many also described experiences that blurred the line between gambling and everyday forms of play – including loot boxes, pack openings, fantasy football, or social media challenges involving risk and reward (such as filming physical challenges with a potential financial reward, or online games offering the chance to win real money).
Among younger participants, gambling was typically framed as something distant or adult, linked with betting shops or (online) casinos. By contrast, those aged 18 and over tended to view gambling as a typical leisure activity, embedded in sport, socialising, and entertainment.
Across ages, the perceived boundary between “gambling” and “not gambling” depended less on the activity itself and more on whether (significant amounts of) real money was at stake. Activities that felt fun, social, or low-cost were often excluded from participants’ personal definitions, even when they carried similar mechanics of chance, reward, and risk.
This flexible understanding shaped how participants described their own behaviour, and in some cases, underplayed the potential for harm.
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Last updated: 11 December 2025
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