Stop targeting gambling ads at kids, children say in new British survey

GambleAware says the vast majority of children want to see fewer gambling ads.

UK.- Data in a new State of the Nation from the charity GambleAware suggests that children and young people in the UK want less exposure to gambling. The survey found that respondents were largely in favour of tighter regulation for gambling advertising and marketing targeting young people, with seven out of 10 respondents aged 11-17 agreeing that “it’s difficult to avoid gambling advertising and content.” 

The survey, conducted by YouGov was completed by over 3,000 children and young people aged 11-24, giving respondents the opportunity to say how they felt about the level of exposure they have to gambling. The data released so far was drawn specifically from the sample of respondents aged under 18.

An open-ended question in the survey gave the young people the opportunity to describe in their own words what they would say to those who produce gambling ads. The responses included the comments “Stop targeting them towards children”  and “stop sneaking subtle gambling ads into children-focused media,” GambleAware says.  

Meanwhile, three out of four agreed that “more should be done to reduce the amount of gambling advertising and content I see.” The survey also found that one in three from this cohort had been exposed to some form of inducement marketing in the last month, and nine out of 10 were able to identify gambling companies within a list of brands. 

Full data from the Children and Young People survey is due to be released early in 2026 as one of GambleAware’s last major publications before it closes. That’s likely to put the spotlight once more on the level of gambling advertising and marketing that young people are exposed to in the UK.  

Recommendations for UK gambling RET post GambleAware

The State of the Nation report brings together evidence from GambleAware funded studies as well as research from other sources to provide an overview of the evidence on gambling related harms among children and young people in Great Britain. It also provides a set of recommendations for the future system for gambling research and education in Britain following the introduction of the mandatory gambling levy last April.

Key recommendations include more efforts to prioritise prevention, restrict marketing and influencer content and to remain adaptable to the rapidly evolving digital environment. 

GambleAware chief executive officer Anna Hargrave 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, added: “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.”  

Last month, GambleAware published a report that calls for major reforms to the regulations for gambling ads in the UK. The study suggested that the current rules for gambling marketing and content online “do not reflect the unique challenges presented by the digital age.”

The paper calls for the government to align online safety powers, increase action against online platforms and establish a government taskforce to explore targeted policies.

GambleAware will cease operations by March 2026 due to the implementation of a mandatory gambling levy in Britain. The funds from the new levy are administered by the Gambling Commission and the NHS, which replace GambleAware’s role as the steward of voluntary donations from the gambling industry.