Report

Young people and gambling: Qualitative research

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 - Changes

Document actions
Print or save (opens in new tab)

Contents

• Young people and gambling: Qualitative research

---

• About the research
• Summary of findings
• Research approach
• • Methodology
  • Qualitative research sample
  • Strengths and limitations of the research
  • Defining gambling through the eyes of young people
• Findings
• • Expanding sphere of influence
  • Impact of personal technology and social media
  • How the changing spaces of gambling reduces supervision
  • Heightened risks of exposure and potential harm for teenage boys
  • Misunderstanding of gambling and associated risks
• What new learning has this research brought to the Gambling Commission
• Appendix

About the 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.

See the Appendix for the full list of research questions.

Previous section
Contents page Next section
Summary of findings - Young people qualitative research

---

Last updated: 25 February 2025

Show updates to this content

No changes to show.