NINE OUT OF 10 YOUNG PEOPLE ARE EXPOSED TO GAMBLING CONTENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA - WHAT A SURVEY BY THE NATIONAL BETTING AUTHORITY SHOWS - Filenews 9/7
The exposure of young people aged 18 to 35 in Cyprus to gambling-related content through social media is almost universal, according to a new survey by the National Betting Authority (NBA).
Instagram is emerging as the main display platform, with most young people stating that they are faced with bookmaker ads, influencer posts and promotional offers. It is indicative that nine out of ten young people aged 18-35 say they have seen this type of content in the last twelve months, while only 7% report the opposite. The average frequency of exposure is 4.45 times per month.
The results of the survey on "Social Media and Gambling" conducted by IMR/UNIC on behalf of the NBA, were presented on Thursday, July 9, 2026. The survey was conducted on a nationwide basis during the period February – March 2026 on a sample of 1,000 people aged 18 to 35.
Its aim was to record the degree of use of Social Media, exposure to gambling-related content, its effect on young people's attitudes and behaviour, as well as motivation to participate in gambling.
The findings confirm that the use of Social Media is almost universal in the ages of 18-35. In particular, Instagram is the dominant platform, as 95% of participants maintain an account and 79% use it as their main social media. They are followed by Facebook with 82% and TikTok with 68%. At the same time, 93% of those who have been exposed to gambling-related content said they saw it through Instagram.
Of particular importance is not only the extent but also the type of content to which young people are exposed. Nearly nine in ten (89%) young people say they see paid ads from bookmakers or online casinos, while more than three in four (77%) report coming across posts from influencers promoting gambling.
At the same time, significant percentages are exposed to offers, bonuses, free bets, but also posts by friends who publicize gambling winnings, which highlights the multidimensional digital ecosystem in which they come into contact with relevant content.
Also, 63% of people aged 18-35 say they have played or participated in gambling in the last 12 months. Participation is significantly higher in men (76%) than in women (51%). Those who do not gamble abstain mainly due to indifference, but also fear of addiction, with 81% of those who do not gamble saying that they do not like/are not attracted to me, 41% consider them a waste of time or money, while it is noteworthy that 23% report fear of possible addiction.
The main motives for participation are profit and fun, but there is also an element of escapism. 78% play to make money and 65% for fun. At the same time, 19% play to escape and forget and 17% out of boredom or boredom, showing that for a part of the audience the game is also associated with emotional discharge.
Gambling is systematic and not occasional. Players state that they spend an average of 118.8 minutes per week on gambling and spend 34.2 euros per month, which shows that participation is not just occasional but has a constant presence in their daily lives.
Despite the particularly high exposure, the findings show that this does not necessarily translate into active interaction. The majority of participants state that they do not follow accounts of gambling, betting companies or tipsters on Social Media, while a correspondingly high percentage states that they have not registered on a gambling website or application after seeing relevant content on social media.
This finding suggests that young people's exposure is largely due to the functioning of the digital platforms and content display algorithms themselves.
In his statements, the President of EAS, Panagiotis Trisokkas, noted that: "The findings of the survey confirm that Social Media is today one of the most important channels through which young people are exposed to content related to gambling. This reality requires prevention to follow the modern digital habits of young people.
For the National Betting Authority, scientific data are the basis for the design of prevention policies and substantial interventions that meet the real needs of society. We systematically invest in informing and empowering children and young people, so that they develop critical thinking and can recognize the dangers of the modern digital environment.
In this context, in the immediate future we will have a meeting with the Minister of Education, Sports and Youth, Ms. Athena Michailidou, to discuss issues of common interest related to prevention, as well as the prospect of integrating the GAME BRAiN program into all public secondary schools."
In addition, the EAS, with the aim of immediately exploiting the findings of the survey, will soon develop a guide, where citizens will be able to be informed in a simple and practical way about the available options to limit their exposure to gambling advertisements on social media and other digital platforms.
This initiative aims to empower users to use the available tools of the platforms themselves to create a safer and more controlled digital environment.
Interested parties can find the results of the Survey in detail on the website of the National Betting Authority www.nba.gov.cy
