An estimated 50,000 children are problem gamblers in the United Kingdom. Social media advertisements for betting on eSports (professional video gaming) don’t help but the issue is very much under the radar. According to research, 93% of children play video games but parents are oblivious to the gambling links. The eSports betting market surged 3,000% to £9 billion during the first Covid-19 lockdown but it’s almost impossible for the Advertising Standards Authority to regulate. This recording of a live Zoom talk by Professor Agnes Nairn of the University of Bristol presents new research on the practice and regulation of the eSports betting advertising that reaches our children.
