The number of teenagers showing signs of problem gambling in the UK is soaring as young people are being encouraged to gamble by ads on social media such as TikTok and Instagram.
The recent implementation of the Online Safety Act has resurfaced the issue of young social media users accessing inappropriate content.
While debate at the moment is focused on restricted access to adult content and privacy concerns over mandatory age verification, there is another component of young people’s online experience that remains a concern – gambling advertisements targeting teenagers on social media platforms.
According to the Gambling Commission’s 2024 report on young people and gambling, the number of 11 to 17-year-olds with signs of problem gambling had doubled compared to the year before.
The report surveyed more than 3,800 people across Britain and found that 62% of young people had seen or heard gambling advertising via online platforms, a significant increase over the 53% reported in 2023.
After television, the main source of gambling advertising for young people was on an app, and 17% of young people said they followed gambling companies through at least one social media or streaming platform.
The most frequently cited platform was TikTok, followed by YouTube, Instagram, and Snapchat.
Teenagers and gambling during Euro 2024
Major sporting events can increase the prevalence of gambling advertisements served to young people on social media platforms like TikTok, as well as making gambling seem more acceptable and approachable.
A recent report published by research firm BIT surveyed young people during the Euro 2024, who said they encountered a wealth of gambling-related content on social media platforms, with gambling adverts often featuring limited messages promiting safe or responsible gambling.
The results of the survey showed that during the tournament, gambling adverts served to young people linked the act of gambling to the excitement of the sporting event and portrayed it as a source of entertainment, financial gain, and social connection.
“Promotional offers, such as free bets encouraged young people to create new betting accounts, often with limited exposure to safer gambling information,” the report stated.
“Young people reported seeing limited safer gambling messages during the tournament. When present, these messages were often subtle, brief, or general in nature, making them easy to overlook.”
“Additionally, young people noted a stark contrast between the appeal of gambling advertisements and the visibility and effectiveness of safer gambling messaging. This contrast was seen as potentially limiting awareness of the risks associated with gambling,” it said.
Young people reported seeing gambling advertisements across social media, including betting advice shared by tipsters, influencers and sports stars encouraging betting, invitations from other users to join their Fantasy Football leagues, and more.
Those surveyed included 16 to 17-year-olds who were regularly served gambling advertisements on TikTok and were able to gamble on the platform being advertised without verifying their age.
The young people surveyed by BIT suggested a number of changes to improve the gambling advertising landscape on social media.
These included prohibiting the use of athletes and other role models for young people to promote gambling platforms and banning gambling advertisements in spaces commonly targeted at young people under 18, such as social media platforms and children’s sports shirts.
“The young people we engaged with suggested a range of changes, from stricter advertising restrictions to watershed policies and prohibiting celebrity endorsements,” BIT said.
“We encourage regulators to consider the experiences of young people when updating advertising codes and regulations.”
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