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.
Appendix
Research questions and topics
Stage 1. In-home gaming immersions with friendship groups
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:
- introductions and gaming set up
- introducing themselves - who they are, their hobbies and friendship dynamic
- setting up a game to play.
- the entertainment and gaming audit
- exploring what games they have
- understanding gaming history and how that has changed over time
- exploring individual versus shared gaming experiences
- exploring the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ elements to gaming.
- gambling explorations
- asking young people to describe gambling
- exploring exposure to gambling - top-of-mind perceptions and awareness
- exploring experiences of playing Category D machines and perceptions of Category D machines
- exploring the relationship between gaming and gambling
- exploring experiences, and impact, of loot boxes and skin gambling in gaming (with descriptions provided)
- understanding the places and spaces that young people associate with gambling and their exposure to gambling advertising.
- reflections and advice to the Gambling Commission
- inviting young people to share their reflections on the activities and topics discussed, and their ideas for gambling rules and regulations.
Stage 2. Online journal with private response tasks
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:
- Free time and entertainment
- exploring how young people spend their free time
- young people were invited to keep a daily ‘entertainment’ diary and to log their responses.
- Key influences and inspirational figures
- exploring influential people in young people’s lives
- young people shared who the person or people were, how they were influential and the impact on their lives.
- Exposure to gambling in daily life
- identifying moments when young people are exposed to gambling
- young people were asked to share any gambling examples they saw or heard about, any gambling advertisements and any gambling that they might take part in personally through text or photo.
- Overall attitudes towards gambling
- understanding young people’s perspectives on the topic of gambling
- young people were invited to share their overall thoughts on the topic of gambling, any personal examples of gambling and how these gambling experiences had made them feel.
Stage 3. ‘Story Spotlight’ one-to-one interviews
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:
- introductions
- sharing how they found the experience of completing the online journal and what stood out to them.
- gambling moments
- (if relevant) deep diving on their gambling moments and patterns of play, or those they have observed through friends or family members.
- attitudes and motivations around gambling
- exploring broader attitudes and motivations around gambling
- observing and delving into how gambling fits into their other interests and passion points
- understanding experiences of gambling alone versus with others.
- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) statement exploration
- using a Miro whiteboard activity to explore youth adapted problem gambling screen (DSM-IV-MR-J) statements and harms statements from the Young People and Gambling through online ‘cue cards’ that young people could sort
- young people were invited to sort cards into 3 key categories:
- have experienced in the past
- experience at the moment
- I understand but have not experienced.
What new learning has this research brought to the Gambling Commission - Young people qualitative research
Last updated: 25 February 2025
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