UKGC Flags New Gambling Pathways for Young Men
The UK Gambling Commission has warned that teenage boys and young men are entering gambling through pathways that differ significantly from previous generations, driven largely by online culture and digital exposure. In a new update, the regulator outlined findings from qualitative research examining early gambling experiences and emerging risk factors among young males.
According to the Commission, smartphones, gaming platforms, social media feeds, and influencer marketing are increasingly embedding gambling content alongside everyday digital entertainment. Rather than experiencing harm through a single defining event, the research suggests vulnerability often builds cumulatively across adolescence and early adulthood. Key transition moments, such as turning 18, starting paid employment, or entering university, were identified as points where risks can intensify.
The study also found that gambling literacy among young men remains low, with many overestimating their understanding of odds and probability. Influencer exposure was highlighted as a growing concern, with more than a third of teenage boys reporting exposure to gambling content through online personalities. Personality traits and peer dynamics may further amplify risk, as young men are statistically more likely to identify as risk-takers.
The Commission is increasingly focused on “gateway products” and gambling-adjacent activities, including loot boxes, prize draws, and emerging digital formats that blur the boundary between gaming and gambling. While some links between gaming and gambling have been identified, the regulator acknowledged that long-term evidence remains limited.
As a result, the UK Gambling Commission has prioritised further longitudinal research to better understand how early digital experiences shape future gambling behaviour and potential harm, signalling an ongoing regulatory focus on youth protection in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
