Today, the Gambling Commission publishes its 2024 Young People and Gambling Report, which provides insight into the extent of exposure to and participation in gambling by young people aged between 11 and 17. Conducted from January to June 2024, this research involved students and found that 27% of participants spent their own money on gambling in the past year. Slightly lower than 31% in 2022, and slightly higher than 26% in 2023-this consistency manifests that gambling activities retain consistent attention among the youth.
Types of Gambling Preferred by Young People
The study provided some of the popular gambling activities among young people over one year. In most cases, these activities did not involve age-restricted products or regulated gambling. The main expenditures were for arcade gaming machines, at 20%, informal bets with friends or relatives, at 11%, and card games for money, at 5%. Many activities have a social context and appear to be tolerated as part of recreational interaction with peers.
Regulated vs. Unregulated Gambling
As reported, 21% of young people were involved in regulated gambling, mostly with arcade machines. This drops down to 6 percent for regulated gambling without arcade machines. This percentage contrasts with the 15 percent of youth involved in unregulated gambling, which operates outside the Gambling Commission‘s oversight. Results from this data showed that 1.5% of the young respondents reporting scores of 4 or more in the DSM-IV-MR-J Youth Adapted Problem Gambling screen revealed higher levels of risk than 0.7% in 2023 and 0.9% in 2022. In other words, problem gambling risks among the young have been trending upward over time.
Addressing Gambling Risks and Protecting Young People
Gambling Commission Executive Director Tim Miller highlighted the significance of today’s findings. He said that although regulated gambling follows strict guidelines, many young people gamble in other ways, like betting with friends—gambling that lies beyond those regulations. Though it may appear relatively harmless, Miller added, this can still lead to gambling-related harm. He called for a “concerted approach” by parents, schools, and civic organizations to instill responsible attitudes toward gambling in the young.
This report is a lesson that not only calls for the continuation of regulation but also calls on families and educators to take active roles in limiting gambling risks to the young generation.