GambleAware has leveraged its latest report to call for tighter regulation around age-restricted advertising to protect minors.

The gambling harm charity called current gambling marketing regulations “poor” and lacking efficiency in the current digital age. Children exposed to online gambling marketing before an age at which they can critically evaluate is a caveat for problem gambling further down the line, the charity added.

Among the changes proposed by GambleAware are enhanced government scrutiny of online betting platforms to ensure greater accountability. The charity is also calling for  existing frameworks like the Online Safety Act to feature gambling marketing more prominently.

Furthermore, GambleAware concluded that four in five underage respondents (79%) want more rules around gambling content on social media, with the same opinion shared by seven in 10 adults (70%). However, it is worth noting that the pool of 3,000 surveyed people cannot be taken as an accurate representation of UK society.

GambleAware has also called for mandatory health warnings to be put on all gambling marketing, which gambling providers are already doing regardless – together with support tools available for those experiencing problem gambling.

As further evidence to back its demands, GambleAware cited a UK government research from 2024 that estimated around 85,000 minors in Britain have experienced gambling harm from engaging with the sector.

Anna Hargrave, GambleAware Transition CEO, said: “Gambling operators invest significant resources into online marketing because it works at getting people to gamble more. This has resulted in children and young people being exposed to gambling content online before an age at which they can critically evaluate it and understand the risks that come with it.

“The current regulations covering gambling marketing and advertising online were designed before most children had easy access to the internet. Urgent action is needed to update these rules and bring them into the digital age to help keep children and young people safe from gambling harm.”

GambleAware is preparing to close its doors forever in March 2026 due to the UK health system transitioning to a new statutory framework to combat gambling-related harms.