Underage Gambling: A Global Concern That Calls for Action

As gambling continues to integrate itself into the fabric of everyday life, starting from apps and influences to the increasingly gamified structure of digital experiences, it becomes harder to ignore the uncomfortable truth: young people are gambling, often in plain sight, and frequently in ways that slip through the cracks of regulation and oversight.

A growing body of international research paints a concerning picture. In the UK, a 2018 Gambling Commission report found that 14% of 11–16-year-olds had spent their own money on gambling in the previous week, with nearly 40% saying they had gambled within the past year. While these figures include informal activities like betting with friends or using machines in pubs, the fact that 6% reported gambling online, often through a parent or guardian’s account, reveals how easily boundaries are crossed. What’s more, many of these young people reported buying scratchcards underage, usually with the help of an adult. Even when interventions happen, they tend to come from family members rather than retail staff or gambling operators.

In Australia, the pattern is just as evident. One in six 16–17-year-olds had gambled in the past year, even though it's illegal for under-18s. Activities included sports betting, race betting, and poker machines; all of which are supposed to be restricted. What's particularly notable is how many teens bypass these restrictions, often through online access or family environments where gambling is present. The line between gaming and gambling is also becoming increasingly blurred. A large proportion of teens engage in gambling-like games, social casino-style apps, for example, and those who do are more likely to gamble with real money later.

The story continues across the globe. In Connecticut, more than a quarter of high school students had gambled in the past year, with rates significantly higher among boys and older adolescents. Among those who gambled online, over half were found to meet criteria for problem or gambling disorder. These behaviours rarely exist in isolation. Young people who gamble frequently are also more likely to use substances, engage in self-harm, and experience serious mental health issues including suicidal ideation. They're also more likely to have academic difficulties and feel disconnected from supportive adults in their lives.

In Italy, slot machine use remains common among adolescents despite regulation. A study from the Pavia region found that over 13% of 15–17-year-olds had used video slot machines, and 1.4% were regular monthly users. The figures were higher for boys, and strongly associated with low academic performance, substance use, and a family history of gambling. Alarmingly, students also reported knowing where to access gambling websites that accept underage users, and online video slot machine use has risen sharply in recent years.

Even in Argentina, where underage gambling is legally prohibited, real-world enforcement often falls short. Regional studies suggest that gambling starts early, sometimes as young as 12, and the increasing reach of mobile access, coupled with minimal oversight, makes prevention all the more difficult. The ALEA report called attention to the normalisation of gambling through advertising, sports culture, and in-game features that mimic gambling mechanics, such as loot boxes. It also highlighted the urgent need for national-level surveillance and prevention frameworks.

Although each country’s context differs, whether in terms of culture, legal structure, or public health response, the common themes are hard to miss. Boys are consistently more likely to gamble. Online platforms are consistently hard to regulate. And the presence of gambling in family or peer environments makes it all the more difficult to shield young people from exposure. Problem gambling in adolescence doesn’t occur in isolation; it’s embedded in a broader web of risk factors, from mental health to substance use to socio-economic pressures.

So what do we do with this information? For one, we stop treating underage gambling as a marginal issue. It’s not just about kids sneaking into betting shops. It's about the ways digital environments make gambling easier to access, harder to monitor, and deeply entangled with the social and emotional worlds of young people. Prevention efforts need to begin earlier, be embedded within schools, and take seriously the overlap between gaming, gambling, and youth mental health. Regulatory frameworks must catch up to the realities of digital gambling, especially when it comes to advertising, social media, and age verification.

Ultimately, underage gambling isn’t just a regulatory gap. This is a reflection of how we as societies think about risk, reward, and responsibility. The data is there. The harms are clear. Now it’s time for policies and practices to reflect that urgency.

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