Australia has confirmed that it is banning social media for everyone under the age of 16 from 10 December 2025. Surprisingly, this development comes as social media use among 14–15-year-old Australians is nearly widespread, intensifying concerns among policymakers and public-health experts about rising exposure to harmful online content, including gambling advertising, and its potential link to problem gambling.
New research published by Roy Morgan shows that 624,000 Australians aged 14 and 15 use at least one social media platform in an average four-week period. The data elaborates just how deeply embedded digital platforms have become in the daily lives of young teenagers, days before Australia’s long-anticipated under-16 social media ban takes effect on 10 December 2025.
According to the study, YouTube is used by 95 percent of 14–15-year-olds, followed by Snapchat at 87 percent, Facebook at 81 percent, and Instagram at 78 percent. Substantial numbers also access Reddit, TikTok, and X, formerly Twitter. In total, almost 100 children in this age group use at least one social platform.
“Social media is embedded in everyday teenage life,”
– Michele Levine, Chief Executive Officer, Roy Morgan
Roy Morgan chief executive Michele Levine said the findings highlighted the scale of the challenge facing regulators. “Any policy change introduced next week will affect almost every 14–15-year-old in the country,” she said.
While the legislation aims to protect minors from harmful online experiences, experts argue it also exposes a wider problem: the increasing overlap between social media, online gambling, and advertising aimed at young audiences.
Australia already has one of the highest gambling participation rates in the world, and recent studies suggest the shift towards online wagering has accelerated harm rather than reduced it. Mobile betting has now overtaken venue-based gambling for the first time, driven by constant digital access and targeted advertising.
Regulators and researchers have noted growing evidence that children and teenagers are being exposed to gambling promotions long before they are legally permitted to gamble. Research by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and the eSafety Commissioner has previously found that minors regularly encounter gambling advertising through live sports broadcasts, social media feeds, video streaming platforms, esports content, and influencer marketing.
A 2023 parliamentary inquiry into online gambling advertising found that children were able to recall betting brands, odds formats, and promotional slogans with alarming clarity. Public-health groups warned that even passive exposure, such as viewing logos on jerseys, stadium signage, or short-form social media clips, contributes to the normalisation of gambling.
Further studies commissioned by Gambling Research Australia have shown that adolescents who recall gambling advertising are more likely to view betting as a routine part of sport and entertainment. Researchers have warned that this early familiarity increases the risk of gambling uptake later in life.
The rise in exposure coincides with worrying national data on gambling harm. Surveys indicate that 73 percent of Australian adults gambled at least once in the past year, while 38 percent gamble weekly. Although the proportion of adults classified as problem gamblers remains between 0.7 and 1.0 percent, the broader impact is substantial.
Another Roy Morgan estimate suggests that nearly 3.5 million Australians now fall into problem or at-risk gambling categories, a 22 percent increase over the past year. More than 600,000 people reported patterns of compulsive behaviour, while researchers also identified emerging warning signs among adolescents aged 12 to 17.
In response, regulation around gambling has tightened sharply. Authorities have strengthened anti-money-laundering controls, identity verification requirements, and advertising standards. Financial penalties have also escalated, with Tabcorp fined AU$4.6 million ($2.8 million) earlier this year for repeated compliance breaches.
Advertising now sits at the centre of the national debate. Campaign groups and health organisations argue that gambling promotions have become unavoidable, particularly during live sports and across social media platforms popular with young people. Critics say this constant visibility blurs the line between leisure and wagering.
The federal government is likely to implement a phased ban on gambling advertising, including restrictions on sponsorships and limits on live sports broadcasts. Several states have already introduced promotional curfews during family viewing hours. However, industry figures have pushed back, warning that abrupt restrictions could drive customers to offshore and unregulated gambling sites that operate beyond Australia’s consumer protections. Sporting organisations have also expressed concern over potential losses to grassroots funding.
Experts maintain that public health must take priority. Formerly speaking to SiGMA News, Monica Shafaq, former chief executive of gambling support charity Gordon Moody, said problem gambling often develops quietly.
“It’s not about how often someone gambles,” she said. “It’s when gambling begins to dominate thoughts, decisions, and emotions. The danger is that it thrives in silence.”
With social media saturation among teenagers now officially confirmed and evidence mounting of early gambling exposure, policymakers face renewed pressure to act. Many analysts believe the under-16 social media ban is only the beginning, with further gambling-related reforms likely to follow.
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