The survey also explored the extent to which young people are exposed to gambling advertising, sponsorships, social media activity and direct marketing.

The proportion of young people who have seen adverts or promotion linked to gambling offline or online is similar (55 percent, and 53 percent, respectively). Offline, the most reported form of exposure is when watching TV (47 percent) or being at a sports event (35 percent). Online, 11 to 17 year olds were most likely to see gambling adverts on an app (45 percent), on social media (40 percent), on live streaming or video sharing platforms (30 percent), or on a website other than social media (28 percent ). An additional option was added this year, for having heard or seen adverts through a podcast, which 13 percent of respondents selected.

Overall, young people’s exposure to gambling adverts and promotions has declined in comparison to 2022. The proportion of young people who have seen adverts or promotion linked to gambling offline or online has seen a decrease in comparison to 2022 (11 percent from 66 percent, and 10 percent from 63 percent, respectively). Exposure when watching TV has decreased by 10 percentage points (57 percent) or being at a sports event has decreased by 2 percentage points (37 percent). Overall online exposure has also seen a decline, 9 percentage point decrease for gambling adverts on an app (54 percent), on live streaming or video sharing platforms by 6 percentage points (36 percent) or on a website or other social media by 7 percentage points (35 percent).

Figure 28: Exposure to gambling adverts – chart shows ‘yes’ responses when asked whether seen or heard adverts or promotions

Figure 28: Exposure to gambling adverts – Chart shows ‘yes’ responses when asked whether seen or heard adverts or promotions.

Figure 28 information

GC_ADAWARE. Have you seen or heard adverts or promotion about gambling in any of the following places?
Base: All participants answering each type of advertising.
Note: This is a multiple response question, so the responses shown will not add up to 100 percent.

Figure 28: Exposure to gambling adverts – chart shows ‘yes’ responses when asked whether seen or heard adverts or promotions.
Exposure to gambling adverts	Percentage (multiple response question, answers do not sum to 100 percent)
Gambling adverts offline	55%
Gambling advert online	53%

Figure 28: Exposure to gambling adverts – chart shows ‘yes’ responses when asked whether seen or heard adverts or promotions.
Exposure to gambling adverts	Percentage who have seen and/or heard gambling adverts (multiple response question, therefore answers do not sum to 100 percent)
On television (TV)	47%
On an app	45%
On social media (including Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok)	40%
At a sports event (for example at football stadiums or on players' shirts or around the pitch)	35%
On posters and/or billboards	32%
On live streaming or video sharing platforms (including Twitch, YouTube)	30%
In newspapers or magazines	30%
On the radio	29%
On another website	28%
Somewhere else	19%
On a podcast	13%

Overall, young people who had seen family members gambling were more likely than those who had not to have seen or heard adverts or promotions about gambling both offline (81 percent compared with 63 percent) and online (76 percent compared with 62 percent). The most notable difference for those who had seen family members gambling than those who had not was in exposure is at sports events (57 percent compared with 38 percent) and on TV (71 percent compared with 54 percent).

Young people who defined their ethnicity as white were more likely to report having seen or heard adverts or promotions about gambling across all forms of offline media, with the exception of posters and/or billboards, in comparison to all young people (57 percent compared with 55 percent) and to those from black and ethnic minority groups (49 percent).

Young people who recalled seeing or hearing adverts or promotion about gambling were then asked how often they see or hear them. As shown in Figure 29, approaching half of young people who were exposed to gambling adverts online, for example on social media (48 percent), apps (47 percent), or TV (45 percent), saw or heard them at least once a week. In contrast, those who saw gambling adverts offline, usually saw them less frequently.

Amongst young people who had seen family members gamble, exposure to adverts and promotions about gambling increased since 2022 by 3 percentage points for offline exposure and 6 percentage points for online exposure (78 percent and 70 percent in 2022, respectively ). There has also been an increase in offline exposure to adverts and promotions for young people with experience of gambling in the last 4 weeks, with an increase of 7 percentage points from 62 percent in 2022.

Young people from white ethnic backgrounds’ likelihood of reporting having seen or heard adverts or promotions about gambling across platforms offline has decreased by 10 percentage points, compared with 2022 (67 percent).

Figure 29: Frequency of seeing and/or hearing gambling promotions and/or adverts at least once a week

A bar chart showing where, from 'In newspapers or magazines' to 'On social media', young people are seeing and/or hearing gambling promotions and/or adverts at least once a week. Data from the chart is provided within the following table.

Figure 29 information

GC_ADFREQ. And how often, do you see or hear adverts or promotion about gambling in the following places?
Base: All participants answering 'On live streaming or video sharing platforms' (1,022). 'On an app' (1,563). 'On social media' (1,371). 'On the radio' (983). 'On TV' (1,626). 'On a podcast' (436) 'Somewhere else' (646). 'At a sports event' (1,164). 'On another website' (955). 'On posters or billboards' (1,076). 'In newspapers or magazines' (1,003).
Note: This is a multiple response question, so the responses shown will not add up to 100 percent.

Figure 29: Frequency of seeing and/or hearing gambling promotions and/or adverts at least once a week.
Frequency of seeing or hearing gambling promotions or adverts at least once a week	Percentage (multiple response question, answers do not sum to 100 percent)
On social media (including Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok)	48%
On an app	47%
On television (TV)	45%
On the radio	43%
Somewhere else	42%
On live streaming or video sharing platforms (including Twitch, YouTube)	41%
At a sports event (for example at football stadiums or on players' shirts or around the pitch)	40%
On another website	40%
On a podcast	36%
On posters and/or billboards	33%
In newspapers or magazines	32%

Overall, boys were more likely to have seen or heard gambling adverts or promotions on a frequent basis than girls, reflecting their greater exposure. For example, boys (48 percent) were more likely to see these adverts at sports events at least once a week than girls (30 percent). Similarly, the proportion of boys who said they had seen gambling adverts on live streaming or video sharing platforms at least once a week was higher than girls (46 percent, and 35 percent). The figures were similar for frequent exposure on apps (51 percent of boys, compared with 42 percent of girls).

Young people who have seen their own family members gamble were also more likely to have seen or heard gambling adverts or promotions on a frequent basis, compared to those who have not seen family members gamble.

There has been a 5 percentage points increase in exposure at sporting events for both boys and girls (43 percent of boys and 25 percent of girls in 2022), and an additional decrease in exposure on live streaming or video sharing platforms for both groups (7 percent from 53 percent of boys and 3 percent from 38 percent of girls).

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Last updated: 1 July 2024

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Young People and Gambling 2023: Official statistics

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Young people's exposure to gambling adverts and promotions and frequency of exposure

Figure 28: Exposure to gambling adverts – chart shows ‘yes’ responses when asked whether seen or heard adverts or promotions

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Figure 29: Frequency of seeing and/or hearing gambling promotions and/or adverts at least once a week

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