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.
Defining gambling through the eyes of young people
When there is a reference to ‘young people’ in this report, this is referring specifically to the young people that took part in this research and any additional references they have made about known peers outside of this research.
‘Gambling’, as a term and set of behaviours, is complex and multifaceted. Depending on upbringing, personal experiences and different social contexts, for young people, gambling encompasses a broad spectrum of regulated and unregulated activities.
‘Gambling’ can be interpreted in different ways depending on the individual and their specific context and knowledge. For this report, we will be referring to the term, ‘gambling’, through the eyes of 30 young people aged 11 to 17 years old in England, Scotland and Wales, and based on their understanding and interpretation when taking part in qualitative research.
Given the complexity of the terminology and range of regulated and unregulated forms of gambling that exist, the young people in this research did find it difficult and confusing to fully grasp which specific activities are ‘gambling’ activities. Young people identified the National Lottery, fruit or slot machines, betting in betting shops or on websites, bingo and casinos as gambling and these were the most salient and well-known types of gambling activities.
By comparison, young people had greater difficulty categorising activities such as arcade gaming machines, betting in social settings and playing cards for money as gambling. In addition, gambling style features in video and online gaming, were completely overlooked. Young people consistently mentioned early experiences of arcade gaming machines, usually played during fun days out with friends or family. For them the presence of parental consent and/or adult supervision as well as low amounts of money spent, distinguished arcade gaming machines from what they perceived to be gambling.
It is important to keep this in mind when reading this report. There are instances, for example, where young people may contradict themselves in their responses; this is primarily driven by the complexity of the topic of gambling and a lack of nuanced understanding relating to regulated and unregulated forms of gambling.
For additional context, the Gambling Commission regulates gambling operators and key individuals. Regulation is designed to ensure children and young people are unable to gamble on age-restricted products licensed by the Commission. In addition to products licensed by the Commission, this report, like the Young People and Gambling Survey, will refer to a number of gambling activities which sit outside the Commission’s remit and are legally available to children and young people.
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Last updated: 25 February 2025
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