Children, gaming and gambling: a guide for parents

Online gambling in Great Britain is for adults only, but children still come across gambling and things that look like it: bets with friends, arcade machines, skins sites and loot boxes in video games. This guide is for parents and carers. It covers what the law says, what licensed sites must do to keep children out, and where to get help.

What the law says

The Gambling Commission’s guide to gambling and young people (opens in a new tab) says that in most cases the minimum legal age for gambling in Great Britain is 18. That applies to online gambling, casinos, betting shops, bingo halls, race tracks and some types of arcade.

The Gambling Act 2005 (opens in a new tab) defines a “child” as someone under 16 and a “young person” as someone aged 16 or 17. Under section 46 (opens in a new tab), a person commits an offence if they invite, cause or permit a child or young person to gamble. There are exceptions, including private or non-commercial gaming. These sections extend to England, Wales and Scotland, not Northern Ireland.

What licensed sites must do

The Commission says every organisation offering gambling in Britain must have procedures to prevent underage gambling. Every gambling website it regulates must have:

• up-to-date policies and procedures to prevent underage gambling
• a warning that underage gambling is an offence
• a requirement for customers to confirm they are old enough to gamble.

Licensed online operators must also verify a customer’s age and identity before they gamble (opens in a new tab), and nobody can place a bet until they have been verified. Operators often check details electronically, against credit reference agency data or the electoral roll, and ask for documents if that is not enough.

Gambling adverts must not be likely to be of strong appeal to under-18s. See how to stop gambling marketing for how to complain about an advert.

How many children gamble?

The Commission’s Young People and Gambling 2025 (opens in a new tab) official statistics, published on 13 November 2025, surveyed 3,666 pupils aged 11 to 17 in schools in England, Scotland and Wales. It found:

• 30% had spent their own money on gambling in the previous 12 months (boys 34%, girls 27%)
• the most common activities were legal or not age-restricted: arcade machines such as penny pushers or claw grabbers (21%), bets between friends or family (14%) and playing cards for money with friends or family (5%)
• 1% had played an online casino game for money, and 1% had placed a bet on a betting website or app
• 1.2% were classed as experiencing problems with their gambling, which the Commission describes as statistically stable compared with 1.5% in 2024.

In other words, the risk for most children is less about licensed casino sites and more about informal betting, gaming and unlicensed sites.

Gaming, skins and esports

The Commission highlights three areas closely linked with gaming:

• Esports betting. Betting on competitive video gaming is treated like betting on any other live event. Any business offering it must hold a Commission licence and carry out age and identity checks.
• Skins betting. Skins are in-game items, such as character outfits or weapon designs, whose value depends on their look, rarity and popularity. Some websites have used skins as a currency for illegal gambling, and there is a risk that children are gambling with them. If you find your child using a skins gambling site, the Commission asks you to report it in confidence (opens in a new tab).
• Paying for in-game items. The Commission recommends parents are aware of these activities, especially if you give your child money for in-game items.

Loot boxes

Loot boxes are features in video games that give a randomised reward. They may be earned through play, bought with in-game currency, or bought directly with real money. In its 2022 response to its call for evidence (opens in a new tab), the government said most loot boxes on the market do not meet the definition of gambling under the Gambling Act 2005, because the prize can only be used within the game and cannot be converted into real money. It chose industry-led protections rather than new law at that stage. It said loot box purchases should be unavailable to all children and young people unless a parent or guardian enables them, and that all players should have access to spending controls.

In practice, that makes the parental controls on your child’s console, phone or game account the main tool.

Practical steps for parents

The Commission’s tips for safer gaming include:

• learn about the games your child plays and how they work
• ask who they play with and what they talk about
• use PEGI and app store ratings to choose age-appropriate games
• use airplane mode for younger children to prevent accidental purchases
• do not save your payment details on the device your child uses for gaming
• do not leave a child playing for several hours without a break, and notice changes in behaviour such as anger, frustration or tiredness.

If you gamble yourself, set up your own accounts so a child cannot use them: do not share passwords, and log out of gambling apps. Our safer gambling tools guide covers blocking software and bank blocks, which also stop gambling payments from your own cards.

Talking about gambling

The Commission suggests the conversation should be open, honest and judgement-free, and that it should not be a one-off. Good moments include when you see gambling adverts during sport, when talking about chance and probability, or when talking about drugs and alcohol. It also suggests thinking about whether your own gambling habits make gambling seem normal.

Where to get help

• Your GP is the place to start if you are worried about a young person’s physical or mental health because of gambling. They can refer you to local services.
• The National Problem Gambling Clinic, an NHS specialist clinic, accepts referrals for people aged 13 and over with complex gambling problems who live in England or Wales.
• GamCare offers information, support and counselling, including live chat.
• The National Gambling Helpline is free, 24 hours a day: 0808 8020 133 in England and Scotland. In Wales, call the NHS All-Wales Gambling Helpline on 0808 2819 265.

More support is listed on our safer gambling page.