The rise of underage gambling in the UK

Underage problem gambling in the UK has more than doubled in just one year.

The number of problem gamblers aged 11 to 17 has surged from 0.7% in 2023 to 1.5% in 2024, according to data from the Gambling Commission, translating to approximately 85,000 individuals.

The UK’s leading charity for gambling harm prevention among young people, YGAM, has expressed deep concern over the latest figures.

The charity’s Chief Executive, Dr Jane Rigbye, noted that the rise in problem gambling among youth is on course to reach the levels last seen during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Dr Rigbye said: “It is concerning to see gambling harms among young people increase back to levels closer to those seen in 2020, after several years of positive decline. This trend aligns with a notable increase in young people being exposed to gambling advertising and engaging in gambling activities over the past 12 months.

“It has never been more important to ensure they are empowered with the education on the potential harms of gambling, so that, alongside necessary regulations, they are properly safeguarded.”

The data behind the crisis

While overall youth gambling participation has declined slightly since 2022, the number of young people engaging in harmful gambling habits has increased in the last 12 months.

The 2024 recall figures show trends more consistent with 2022 than with the 2023 survey, which had indicated a temporary decline in recall across all sources.

Young people are engaging in various forms of gambling, including lotteries, gaming machines, bingo, betting, and casino games.

The 2024 recall figures show trends more consistent with 2022 than with the 2023 survey, which had indicated a temporary decline in recall across all sources.

Despite the overall participation rate not returning to 2022 levels, the percentage of problem gamblers has increased significantly. In 2022, when more underage individuals were gambling, 0.9% were classified as problem gamblers.

By 2024, that number had risen to 1.5%, indicating that the severity of problem gambling has intensified.

Gambling advertisements

One of the key drivers behind this surge is the rise in gambling advertising, particularly across social media platforms.

Data from the Gambling Commission highlights that exposure to gambling-related content among young people has sharply increased between 2023 and 2024, with a notable 9% rise in targeted promotions on social media.

However, TV advertisements remain the primary source of exposure. Despite the growing presence of online and social media gambling ads, television continues to account for the largest share of young people’s exposure to gambling marketing at 54%.

This is particularly evident during major sporting events, where sponsorships and commercial breaks feature high volumes of betting promotions.

Dr Thomas Mills, an expert in public health research at London Southbank University recently launched a ‘Ten Point Plan for Gambling Harm Prevention’ in collaboration with Gambling with Lives (GwL) to raise awareness to the long-term issues of gambling harms.

He said: “We know that children and young people are particularly susceptible to harms from gambling and there is increasing concern about them being targeted by gambling companies.

“I think it speaks to wider issues about how digital technology has evolved and young people are just more susceptible to advertising campaigns in general with the lights, sounds and colours.

“This is not about me telling young people this is something you shouldn’t do. It’s about equipping them with the understanding and skills to make informed choices.

“I think there’s a whole area that could link to this which is around digital rights and digital citizenship, because so much harm is generated via new technology, via mobile phones, meaning you effectively have a casino in your pocket.”

The Government response and Labour’s manifesto commitments

With underage gambling becoming an increasingly pressing issue, the government has begun rolling out measures to curb its rise.

As part of Labour’s 2024 General Election manifesto, a commitment was made to tackle gambling-related harms and strengthen protections for vulnerable groups, including young people.

Labour MP for Halesowen, Alex Ballinger, has been vocal on the matter, having recently opened a debate in Westminster Hall on gambling harms.

His intervention in Parliament in February signals a growing political consensus that stronger protections are needed to safeguard young people from the dangers of gambling addiction.

He said: “Children and young people are particularly at risk. Children playing free mobile phone games are being targeted with gambling advertisements. We cannot watch a football match without being bombarded by gambling adverts.

“At the opening weekend of the Premier League this season, there were 29,000 gambling messages. How is that acceptable in a sport that so many children enjoy? They are priming children to gamble as soon as they are old enough to do so. We must implement stronger regulations on marketing, advertising and sponsorship.”

In March 2024, the London Assembly Health Committee called for London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, to bring forward proposals to ban all gambling advertisements on TFL services.

The current Chair of the Health Committee, Emma Best, stressed the importance of limiting gambling advertisements exposure in London in light of these latest figures.

She said: “Once we did our investigation, it became clear that there’s twice the average problem gambling in London across Britain. There’s a specific issue in London especially with advertisements you see displayed all across TFL services.

“The fact that we were promised change in 2021 and four years later nothing has happened, that’s where we would like to see the mayor going further.

“There have to be better ways of authenticating gambling accounts with ID’s because at the moment it is very easy for young people to create new accounts on gambling websites.

“My own son plays FIFA and spends all his money buying packs. He’s buying the opportunity that you might get something wrong. That’s effectively what gambling is, you’re putting a stake forward and hoping for something good, but it’s not guaranteed.

“Kids don’t even understand that they are in the gambling world and I imagine as you get older if similar situations occur, you’re going to take them because you’ve seen the dopamine hits and early enjoyments.”

Human cost of gambling addiction

Beyond the statistics and policy measures, the human impact of underage gambling can be devastating.

Matt, an underage gambler shared his personal experience of how gambling affected his life from a young age on BetKnowMore, an organisation that tackles gambling related harm in UK.

He said: “I was 11 years old when I was first exposed to gambling. At 15 I started going to betting shops on my own to place bets. I left school with poor GCSEs because I was only really interested in getting to the weekends so I could bet. At the age of 17, I bet £1000 on a horse at Royal Ascot. All this happened before I was legally old enough to gamble.

“During my early adult life gambling caused me lots of problems. I would lie about lots of things to get my mum or dad to give me money because I’d lost all the money I’d earned. As I grew older, though I was earning more, my gambling caused all sorts of problems in my relationships with my friends, family and loved ones.”

Matt’s story is not unique. Many young people who fall into gambling at an early age struggle with long-term consequences, including financial hardship, strained relationships, and mental health challenges.

One in ten young people admitted the gambling made them tell lies while one in 15 were reported being worried by gambling by family members.

Matt’s journey serves as a stark reminder of why stronger regulations and greater awareness are essential in tackling this growing problem.

The Christian Centre for Gambling Rehabilitation, have been supporting underage children with gambling addiction problems in London since 2000.

They work closely with Cantonese children in and around Camden as well with other Chinese Churches in West London boroughs of Hammersmith and Fulham, Hounslow and Kingston to provide the necessary aid and protection.

Their centre manager Aaron Ng, highlighted the importance of communities pulling together to prevent a new generation of underage problem gamblers.

He said: “With football in particular, gambling industry find it very easy to attract young people and lure them into a false sense of belief that they can make sustained profit.

“if they grow up in a family where the parent is also addicted, these children are more tempted and have a higher possibility of gambling addiction, so as part of our work with the local community, we directly engage with families as well”.

“In this society we must prohibit the gambling industry from continued and constant advertisements in order to prevent the next generations of gamblers.”

What comes next?

While the government’s proposed measures mark a step in the right direction, many campaigners argue that more needs to be done.

Stricter advertising regulations, enhanced age verification technology, and greater investment in education programs are all being called for to prevent further escalation.

With problem gambling among young people at its highest level since the pandemic, the coming months will be crucial in determining whether the government’s response is sufficient to curb this worrying trend.

For campaigners, charities, and those affected, the fight against underage gambling is far from over.