The Role of Social Media in Protecting Adolescent Gamblers

By

Denitsa Lyutskanova

Denitsa Lyutskanova Chief Editor

Denitsa Lyutskanova is the Head of Content at iGaming.com and a passionate advocate for Safer Gambling. With over a decade of experience in digital marketing, she has been with the company since 2011, working across 20+ markets. Denitsa leads a growing team of 30+ talented content writers and editors, driving impactful content strategies while promoting responsible gaming practices.

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· Chief Editor Last Updated: July 11, 2025

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With youth gambling on the rise, how can we approach adolescent players to protect them?

According to a major 2024 meta-analysis, about 17.9% of adolescents globally (roughly 160 million) reported gambling in the last 12 months. Institutions and researchers are pushing for better preventative gambling addiction measures for this vulnerable group.

Why Social Media Is Key to Youth Gambling Prevention

In the latest iGamingCare podcast episode above, iGaming’s CEO, Prof. Dr. Andreas Ditsche, and Ladan Esmalian Khamseh, Ph.D. candidate at the Department of Psychosocial Science at the University of Bergen (UiB), point to social media strategies as a potential answer.

Ladan goes on to explain that young people tend to feel immune to the threat of problem gambling and addiction. Unfortunately, this is not the case, and we need to find ways to protect them beyond parental controls.

What better way to reach them than through their natural habitat – social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok. Psychologists, counsellors, and nonprofit organizations must leverage these channels to educate young people about the dangers of gambling.

Ladan suggests that partnering with trusted influencers – peers they already follow and look up to – could be another successful strategy.

Expert Insights: How Social Media Can Be a Force for Good

So, what do you think? Is social media the right path to reaching adolescent gamblers, or is there a more effective approach we should consider?

Listen to our full iGamingCare podcast conversation, where Prof. Dr. Ditsche and Ladan discuss the link between mental health and youth gambling addiction. They share valuable insights from academia and industry.