Youth Gambling Harm Research and Innovation Partnership

Children and young people in the UK are growing up in a world where gambling is becoming more common and familiar. They see it in adverts, on social media, and in video games through things like loot boxes and in-app purchases. As a result, many are exposed to gambling before they turn 18. Around one in four young people aged 11–17 say they have gambled in the past year, and some experience serious problems, including stress, poor mental health, family difficulties, and money issues. Despite this, there is no clear UK-wide plan for how to prevent gambling harm or help young people recover. 

The Youth Gambling Harm Research and Innovation Partnership aims to change this by bringing together young people, families, researchers, and professionals to work on solutions together. In this first phase, the project will: create groups of young people with lived experience to guide the work; review what is already known about gambling harm; speak to experts and young people across the UK to identify priorities; and plan a larger future programme. 

The project takes a wider “public health” view, looking at the environment around young people, not just individual choices. Its goal is to create a shared plan to better prevent and reduce gambling harm. 

University of Glasgow 

Cardiff University 

CQ University, Australia 

The project is funded by UKRI - ref UKRI4420