New data shows 3 in 4 children feel more should be done to reduce the amount of gambling advertising and content they see 

• 7 in 10 children agree that “It's difficult to avoid gambling advertising and content”  
• 9 in 10 children can pick out gambling companies within a list of brands 
• 1 in 3 children have been exposed to some form of reward based marketing in the last month 
• Data supports GambleAware’s new State of the Nation report showing that gambling-related harms among children and young people require urgent, coordinated action 

New data from the charity GambleAware, included within a State of the Nation report published today, reveals that children and young people want less exposure to gambling. 

The survey, conducted by YouGov and completed by over 3,000 children and young people aged 11-24, gave respondents the opportunity to highlight how they felt about the level of exposure they have to gambling. The new data being released today ahead of the full survey is drawn specifically from the sample of children aged 11-17. 

The survey found that respondents were largely in favour of tighter regulation on gambling advertising and marketing targeting young people, with 3 in 4 young children aged 11-17 agreeing that “more should be done to reduce the amount of gambling advertising and content I see,” while 7 in 10 agreed that “It's difficult to avoid gambling advertising and content.” 

In addition, 1 in 3 children have been exposed to some form of inducement marketing in the last month, while 9 in ten youngsters were able to identify gambling companies within a list of brands. 

An open-ended question in the survey gave the young people the opportunity to describe, in their words, what they would say to those who produce gambling ads. Their responses included:  

• “Make sure to highlight the risks involved with gambling” 
• “Gambling adverts should be less appealing to those under 18” 
• “Stop targeting them towards children” 
• “Stop sneaking subtle gambling ads into children-focused media.”  

The new data from the Children and Young People survey, due to be released in full in the New Year, puts yet another spotlight on the level of gambling advertising and marketing this group is exposed to.  

The State of the Nation report brings together evidence from both GambleAware funded studies as well as relevant research from other sources to provide a comprehensive overview of the evidence on gambling related harms among children and young people in Great Britain. 

Several concerning issues are highlighted amongst children and young people, including the prevalence of gambling, why children and young people are at risk, and their motivation for gambling. 

It provides a set of recommendations for the future system, researchers, policy makers, and commissioners. One of the key recommendations is for greater efforts to  prioritise prevention, restrict marketing and influencer content, and remain adaptable to the rapidly evolving digital environment. 

Anna Hargrave, Chief Executive Officer of GambleAware, said: “The level of exposure to gambling that children and young people have is incredibly worrying, and this latest data highlights just how much they want things to change. 

“In addition, our State of the Nation report clearly lays out that gambling related harms amongst this demographic requires urgent and coordinated action. 

“We hope that the recommendations in the report are given serious consideration to ensure we protect children and young people from the risks of gambling and gambling harms.” 

Member of the House of Lords, Baroness Clare Gerada DBE, who has supported previous work by GambleAware, said: “The State of the Nation report gives clear and evidence based recommendations that should be taken seriously by those who have a responsibility to protect children and young people from the risks of gambling harms. 

“These should not be ignored, and I would implore those promoting gambling through advertising and marketing to take note of this report, and start to put the necessary actions in place, including clearer health warnings to warn people of the potential risks.”  

The full State of the Nation report can be read here.

ENDS 

 

NOTES TO EDITORS 

About the State of the Nation Report 

The State of the Nation report provides an overview of the knowledge generated by GambleAware-funded research on gambling related harms among children and young people (CYP) in Great Britain (GB). In this report, the term CYP includes children under the age of 18 and young people aged 18-24.  

The report presents a high-level synthesis of the lived realities of gambling and gambling-related harms of CYP, structured around five key areas of discussion:   

CYP's experiences and interpretations of gambling and gambling-related harms  

The role of marketing and advertising as key drivers of harm and the importance of regulation  

Inequalities in the distribution of harm among sub-groups of CYP   

Barriers to accessing support and principles for effective intervention  

Priorities for future research and interventions   

The report was written between August and December 2025 during a time of transition after the announcement of the new statutory levy system and the appointment of NHS England, The Office for Health Improvement and Disparity (OHID) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) as new commissioners for gambling harms treatment, prevention, and research. The report is intended to help inform the new commissioners about what the state of gambling harms are for Children and Young People in Great Britain, and to present a concise representation of GambleAware-funded research and recommendations for the incoming system.  

The open-ended question asked to youngsters was: ‘What is one thing you would say to someone who is in charge of making gambling adverts?’ 

About the Children and Young People survey 

The Children and Young People (CYP) survey was conducted in 2025 by YouGov on behalf of GambleAware, drawing on academic expertise from Dr Raffaello Rossi (University of Bristol) and Dr Glen Dighton (Swansea University).  

The nationally representative survey questioned over 3,000 Children and Young People aged 11-24, with data in this press release drawn specifically from the sample of children aged 11-17 (n=1,645). 

The survey asked children about their feelings towards the level of gambling marketing and advertising they are exposed to. The full report is due to be released in the New Year.  

About GambleAware  

GambleAware is the leading independent charity (Charity No. England & Wales 1093910, Scotland SC049433) and strategic commissioner of gambling harm education, prevention, and treatment across Great Britain to keep people safe from gambling harms.  

GambleAware commissions the National Gambling Support Network (NSGN) which provides free confidential treatment, as well as the National Gambling Helpline which takes over 55,000 calls a year.  

The charity is independent and evidence-based, with a robust governance process in place to ensure the industry has absolutely no input or influence on our work.  

Gambling harms can affect anyone, and not just those who gamble, but also their families and communities. These harms particularly affect communities that already face inequality.