A narrative review of qualitative studies exploring the normalization of gambling for youth and younger adults

Clicks: 5
ID: 327552
2026
Article Quality & Performance Metrics
Overall Quality
Not rated
Combines reader engagement with the AI quality analysis. This article has not been analysed, so there is no overall score — reader engagement is measured and shown alongside.
AI Quality Assessment
Not analyzed
Readership in this journal
Emerging

Ranked #36 of 38 articles by views in health promotion international

Most read Least read

Bar heights use a square-root scale.

Mint this article as an NFT
Not yet minted

Create a permanent, verifiable on-chain record of this article on the Scimatic Network. The NFT is held in your Journament account, and you can withdraw it to your own wallet at any time.

5 SUSD one-off · no wallet required
Abstract
Abstract Gambling is a highly visible and socially embedded activity among young people, with marketing, social practices, and digital platforms shaping perceptions and behaviours. This article presents a narrative review of qualitative studies (2015–25) exploring how gambling is normalized among youth and younger adults (up to 35 years), and how they perceive and respond to these processes. Four themes were constructed from n = 22 articles using a reflexive approach to thematic analysis. First, gambling was socially constructed as a normative activity through early family exposure and peer group practices, where participation could both encourage and discourage engagement. Second, exposure to gambling advertising, particularly through sport, was a pervasive driver of normalization, framing gambling as entertaining, glamorous, and overwhelmingly positive. Third, digital access via smartphones, apps, and online platforms further embedded gambling into daily life, enabling engagement in previously restricted spaces and facilitating peer-to-peer participation. Finally, youth and younger adults articulated strategies to counter the normalization of gambling, emphasizing structural and regulatory approaches, including stricter controls on advertising, counter-marketing campaigns, education, and youth participation in policy development. Policy action is needed to tackle the influence of a range of determinants of gambling normalization, with a particular focus on how commercial drivers and political responses impact youth and younger adults in specific sociocultural settings and contexts.
Reference Key
openalex_W7207692856 Use this key to autocite in the manuscript while using SciMatic Manuscript Manager or Thesis Manager
Authors Monique Murray, Hannah Pitt, Simone McCarthy, Grace Arnot, Bram Constandt, Steffi De Jans, Samantha Thomas
Journal health promotion international
Year 2026
DOI
10.1093/heapro/daag114
URL
Keywords Keywords not found

Citations

No citations found. To add a citation, contact the admin at info@scimatic.org

No comments yet. Be the first to comment on this article.