Early Gambling Exposure Quadruples Addiction Risk in Adulthood, Study Finds
A new Irish study has revealed that children exposed to gambling face a much higher risk of developing addiction problems later in life. Researchers found that early experiencesâwhether through family habits or personal participationâsignificantly increase the likelihood of gambling issues in adulthood.
The study highlighted several key factors that raise the risk of future gambling problems. Children who grew up in households with positive attitudes toward gambling were far more likely to struggle with addiction as adults. If a parent gambled, the risk increased by around a third. But the combination of a gambling parent and a supportive attitude toward betting made individuals four times more vulnerable.
Childhood gambling itself took many forms, from slot machines and scratch cards to betting on horse or dog racing. Adults who had gambled before turning 18 were almost twice as likely to develop problems later. The findings align with concerns raised by GambleAware in late 2025, which reported that tens of thousands of minors were already exposed to gambling due to weak oversight of online marketing. Dr Shane Timmons, a senior research officer at the ESRI, warned against normalising gambling as harmless entertainment for children. Anne Marie Caulfield, CEO of GRAI, stressed that the data showed a direct link between early exposure and lasting harm. Currently, about 1 in 30 adults in Ireland struggles with problem gambling.
The research underscores the long-term dangers of childhood gambling exposure. Both family influences and personal participation in betting activities increase the likelihood of addiction in adulthood. Experts have called for stronger protections to reduce early exposure and its lasting effects.
