The latest survey from the Gambling Commission found 10 percent of 16- and 17-year-olds said they spent more because of gambling ads, but that the largest influence on gambling harm came from friends.
The survey by 2CV asked 962 people between 16 and 25 about gambling. Of this, 644 were classified as gamblers, though this included taking part in social “gambling-style games,” arcade games such as claw machines and private bets with friends.
Using the problem gambling severity index (PGSI), and a number of other questions, the survey sought to ascertain comments that correlate most with being at risk of gambling harm, according to iGaming Business.
“My friends encourage me to gamble more money” was the statement most associated with higher levels of risk, followed by “My friends encourage me to gamble more often” and “My friends gamble more than the average person.”
The survey found that while only 11 percent of those with no or low risk of gambling harm said their friends gamble at above-average rates, 41 percent of those at medium risk or greater agreed with the statement.
The report also indicated family members can have a major influence on gambling activities. Marketing had lower levels of correlation with gambling risk levels, except for those saying they followed a number of operators on social media.
The survey also asked young people which games they had played while underage. 34 percent said scratchcards before turning 16, while 15 percent said they had played National lottery draws. 18 percent said they had played in-person bingo while under 18, 13 percent said they had played fruit or slot machines and 9 percent each said they played online bingo, bet on sports and played online slots.
The survey found that 41 percent of 16- and 17-year-olds admitted seeing lots of gambling advertising, with 32 percent saying that gambling businesses tend to advertise more than other businesses. But only around 10 percent spent more money than they intended because of gambling advertising.
