NSW youth gambling study: Qualitative research report

This is the first study to conduct a large qualitative exploration of gambling transitions amongst young people in NSW and key influences on these transitions. In particular, it extends on previous qualitative research by providing valuable insights into how these transitions and influences vary among at-risk/problem gamblers, non-problem gamblers, and non-gamblers. It contributes in-depth knowledge about parental, peer, advertising, gaming and digital influences on adolescents’ gambling and gambling problems, and the reasons that some young people avoid gambling or are protected from gambling harm. The findings provide new insights into the frequent exposure of young people to promotional gambling messages in their everyday gaming, online and social media activities. These highlight the proliferation of new and emerging online advertising for simulated gambling, such as social casino games and loot boxes, that most young people cannot distinguish from advertising for monetary gambling. The findings also provide new insights into the large variety of online gambling adverts offering real money prizes, and the sponsored gambling content from social influencers, that young people routinely see. Most importantly, the study has given young people themselves the opportunity to identify strategies and environments that can help to protect them against gambling problems and harm, which can inform regulations and public health interventions going forward. Key findings: Adolescents in this study reported varying gambling transitions as they grew up. Non-gamblers maintained a stable pattern of no or little gambling from childhood. Many non-problem gamblers increased their gambling in their teens, indicating a pattern of progression but not to problematic levels. Some non-problem gamblers reported a transitory pattern with decreased gambling in their later teens. Gambling in the at-risk/problem gambling group intensified through adolescence.The study supports previous findings that young people’s gambling attitudes and behaviours are shaped through social processes involving numerous changing sources of influence as they grow up. These include parents, peers, gambling advertising, sports interests, gambling opportunities, and monetary and simulated gambling products. These sources can exert risk and protective influences.Young people report an unprecedented level of influence from a wide range of sources that promote gambling, and that permeate their home, school, social, media and digital environments. They report being inundated with promotional gambling messages in their everyday lives, especially sports betting adverts and adverts for social casino games which they interpret as promoting gambling.Protective strategies and environments need to be multi-faceted to tackle these multiple areas of influence, in alignment with a public health approach.The young people in this study want environments that prevent gambling harm for young people, with tighter regulation of gambling and simulated gambling products, far less advertising, age-related restrictions for simulated gambling features, and gambling education in schools