Irish government warned to limit children’s exposure to gambling ads

With Ireland’s gambling reforms still at committee stage, a new report has recommended that the Government take action to limit children’s exposure to gambling marketing.

The qualitative research from research agency BMC Public Health looked at children’s awareness of and exposure to gambling.

Carried out amid concerns from health authorities about a rise in underage gambling, the report found that there was a lack of data on the consumption of gambling advertising by children in Ireland. It focused on the consumption of sports products among the 14-17 year old age group and aimed to understand how this influenced their perceptions of gambling.

Based on 51 face-to-face interviews, the study found that children were highly exposed to gambling marketing on social media, live sports and in their communities through betting company advertising, newspapers and sports sponsorship.

It found that children primarily consumed sports content through social media (Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube) rather than traditional media. They showed mixed perceptions of gambling, with some acknowledging the financial risks and expressing doubts about the claims made in gambling advertising.

However, the study recommended that the government be wary of the potential for gambling to be normalised among young people through over-marketing. It singled out the influence of celebrities and called for regulations on the use of social media influencers.

The report also recommended legislation to curb marketing, particularly at a time when children are most likely to be watching sports.