Cambridge University study adds fuel to debate on gambling ads in Ireland 

The research looked into the “dizzying” reach of gambling ads on social media.

Ireland.- A recent study from the University of Cambridge has added fuel to the debate over gambling advertising in Ireland. Carried out in partnership with Munster Technological University (MTU) in Cork, the research examined gambling ads on social media.

Using Meta’s Ad Library, the team analysed adverts across Facebook and Instagram, focusing on demographic reach. The study reviewed 411 adverts from 88 licensed Irish operators.

Findings showed that young men were 2.3 times more likely than women to encounter these ads, despite not being explicitly targeted. Adults aged 25–34 represented roughly one-third of all unique accounts reached, generating 6.2 million impressions. One Betfair campaign reached 1.32 million accounts –equivalent to 26 per cent of the Irish population.

Dr Elena Petrovskaya from Cambridge’s Department of Computer Science and Technology, said: “Even in a country like Ireland with a small population, the number of accounts these ads reached was dizzying. “We looked at Ireland as a case study of an environment where a modern gambling regulatory framework had not yet been adopted.”

Gambling in Ireland is currently undergoing a major regulatory overhaul, with the newly established Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) assuming oversight under the Ireland’s 2024 Gambling Regulation Act. Yet, similar to across the Irish Sea in the UK, the regulatory review has not dampened calls for stricter rules on advertising.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik has been calling for a complete ban on gambling advertising in Ireland. The new research could provide more support for her arguments, particularly around the impact on vulnerable young men. The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) has cut ties with gambling sponsors, citing social responsibility concerns. In contrast, the League of Ireland has been reluctant to abandon such partnerships.

Dr. Deirdre Leahy of MTU, a co-author of the study, said the research “provides valuable insights that establish a baseline for the reach of gambling advertising on social media in Ireland before the introduction of a regulatory framework. This baseline will be essential for assessing the impact of reforms under the Gambling Regulation Act.”

In Ireland, men aged 25-34 have the highest rate of problem gambling, with 1.3 per cent of this age group showing this behaviour compared to just 0.2 per cent of women in the same age group.

The analysis found that 91 adverts (22 per cent) targeted men only, and no adverts targeted only women. Across all 411 adverts, 12.6 million men were reached, compared to 5.4 million women. In total, adverts targeting some part of the age group 25-44 reached 59.4 per cent of all accounts reached.