Reports from the US and UK show worrying signs of underage gambling in both countries. A new study from non-profit Common Sense Media states that 36% of males gambled last year before they turned 18 years old.
The report from the San Francisco-based group notes that it is often video games where boys first experience gambling, through reward systems like skin cases and loot boxes that bear similarities to traditional slot machines. They also often see gambling-related material on social media.
peer influence is the biggest driver
The survey was conducted with 1,017 boys aged 11 to 17. Peer influence is the biggest driver, with boys whose friends gamble being 84% more likely to gamble themselves.
The UK’s national self-exclusion register GamStop revealed a sharp increase in young bettors blocking themselves from gambling sites in the latter half of 2025. It experienced a 40% rise in people aged 16 to 24 years old.
Total new sign-ups were 58,675 for the period, with 29% falling into the young persons category. Younger users were found to choose the shortest exclusion, with 38% going for the six-month option. This is the shortest GamStop duration; other options are one year or five years.
