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
-
- 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
6 - Online exposure makes gambling feel ever-present
For teenage boys and young men in the sample, gambling content is almost impossible to avoid. Across social media, sport, and everyday online spaces, betting is presented as a familiar and often entertaining part of modern life. Whether encountered through adverts, streamers, or friends’ shared memes, gambling has become a constant presence in the lives of teenage boys and young men.
Gambling content is highly visible online
Participants across ages and activity levels described being exposed to gambling-related content on a daily basis. Much of this came through algorithmic feeds rather than intentional search, meaning gambling appeared even for those who did not actively seek it out.
"I’ve seen lots of people start posting and glorifying gambling on livestreams, companies will pay streamers to promote this on stream and give them money to play with."
17 year old, Higher gambling activity
Platforms most frequently mentioned included TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels, where gambling and gambling-like content appears among sport, gaming, and entertainment videos. Under-18s said this visibility persists despite platform age restrictions, often through humour or lifestyle content that is not labelled as advertising.
Humour and memes help normalise risk
Short, meme-based videos were reportedly commonplace in participants’ social media feeds. These clips use humour to make gambling seem light-hearted and relatable, turning loss and risk into shared jokes among friends.
"I find it so funny… there’s lots of memes about like AI David Goggins telling you to never stop gambling… I always send them to my friends."
21 year old, lower gambling activity
"I think [memes are] a mask to put on… like where they can vent how they’re losing, but put it in a way that people can relate to it and joke about."
16 year old, lower gambling activity
For many, this content felt harmless and entertaining, yet it reinforces gambling’s social and cultural visibility. Jokes about losses keep gambling in conversation, which may make risk feel routine and collective rather than individual.
Influencers and streamers amplify gambling’s appeal
Creator-led content plays a significant role in shaping perceptions. Participants described streamers and celebrities promoting or demonstrating gambling, often through sponsorship deals that blur the line between entertainment and marketing.
"I do like to see the ones Drake does just because he puts on some crazy amounts."
24 year old, lower gambling activity
Such content was viewed as aspirational rather than instructional, presenting gambling as part of a glamorous or high-status lifestyle. Even when participants recognised sponsorship, and in some cases explicitly questioned the authenticity of the wins shown, they said this rarely reduced the appeal. Several described a clear awareness that influencers were paid to make gambling look exciting, that "big wins" might be staged, and that creators were often gambling with "house money". Yet this understanding did not stop the content drawing them in.
For many, the entertainment value overrode any scepticism. The knowledge that the creators were being paid, or that the outcomes were unlikely to reflect real-life play, did little to diminish the curiosity, Fear Of Missing Out, or admiration attached to high-profile figures taking risks.
Tipsters reinforce the illusion of expertise
Tipsters and betting commentators occupy a distinct niche in this ecosystem, appealing mainly to those who already gamble. Their advice promises a level of knowledge and control that makes gambling feel more legitimate and skill-based.
"I think the tipsters are huge. If you have a tipster who’s free for a month and that’s on all these wins, it massively influences you to just back whatever they back… obviously they only post their wins. Their losses are not really shown or bragged about."
24 year old, lower gambling activity
"On Twitter there’s a lot of accounts that promote betting. Like tipster accounts: ‘this weekend’s football, here’s some tips, place a bet with my code and receive whatever bonuses.’"
25 year old, lower gambling activity
Following such accounts strengthened participants’ confidence that gambling could be managed strategically - a perception that often masked underlying risk.
Peer-generated content feels authentic and influential
Participants drew a clear distinction between "bottom-up" content created by peers and "top-down" advertising from brands. Peer-led memes and clips were described as more genuine and entertaining, while corporate material was seen as intrusive and overtly promotional.
"A lot of them are relatable… Sometimes it’d be like memes about on the way home from the casino, one person’s singing because they’re up £100, the others are quiet because they’ve lost. It captures the full experience."
19 year old, higher gambling activity
"But then you’ve got Drake sponsored by Stake, winning 900K in one spin. Those are all rigged... Whereas the memes are just silly, they’re not promoting gambling, just making fun of it."
21 year old, lower gambling activity
This perceived authenticity increases engagement and keeps gambling talk present within friendship groups and online communities, even among those who rarely gamble themselves.
Perceptions of regulation and protection
When reflecting on the visibility of gambling content, many participants questioned whether existing measures to limit exposure or protect younger audiences were effective.
Across both age groups, there was widespread scepticism about age-related restrictions online. Under-18s described being able to access or view gambling-related material with little difficulty, often by providing a false date of birth or through algorithms that promoted betting content based on their sports or gaming interests.
Older participants also doubted that current regulation was sufficient, though their understanding of how regulation actually works was limited. Most participants recognised only the basic age restriction (that gambling is legally 18 years old and above), but few demonstrated any deeper awareness of how gambling is regulated, who enforces the rules, or what operators are required to do. This meant that concerns about regulation were often grounded in perceived rather than known gaps.
On social media in particular, participants felt that paid partnerships and influencer sponsorships were poorly labelled and inconsistently disclosed, creating the sense that content was slipping through regulatory cracks. Several drew comparisons with the historical regulation of alcohol or tobacco, suggesting that current warnings are too subtle or too inconsistently applied to be meaningful.
A number of participants felt that greater transparency and balance were needed in gambling promotion - for instance, showing losses as well as wins, or including more prominent warnings about the likelihood of losing. Others favoured stronger platform-level controls, such as stricter filtering for under-18s or clearer distinctions between advertising and entertainment.
While opinions varied, few participants felt that gambling companies or social media platforms could be trusted to "police themselves". Older participants in particular were clear that profit-driven companies are unlikely to restrict harmful content voluntarily. Given their limited understanding of how regulation operates in this sector, participants generally placed responsibility for protection on technology platforms or legislators, rather than on the gambling companies themselves.
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Risks, impacts, and warning signs
Last updated: 11 December 2025
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