British children are getting hooked on gambling through Omaze and McDonald’s Monopoly prize draws, a charity has warned.
GambleAware said survey findings indicated prize draws – which are not regulated by gambling authorities – are normalising gambling, especially for children and young adults.
The charity’s research showed 27% of gamblers were at risk of gambling-related issues by partaking in prize draws and 11% were in danger of falling into gambling addiction.
Despite existing outside of betting regulations, GambleAware said they had “many similarities” to particular forms of gambling.
The charity sounded the alarm and released startling new survey data, which found that problem gambling in adults – where their addiction is damaging family and other relations – had jumped from 2.4% in 2020 to 3.8% in 2024.
In numbers, that means 2.6 million adults, or one in 25 of the national population, are gripped by problem gambling.
A YouGov poll for the charity discovered that nearly one in three adults at risk from problem gambling want treatment, support or advice, compared with about one in six in 2020.
Zoe Osmond, GambleAware chief executive, said: “Gambling can be highly addictive, with devastating impacts on people’s lives, relationships and financial stability. Urgent preventative action is needed. This must include tougher regulation of gambling advertising to stop gambling being portrayed as ‘harmless fun’.”
An Omaze spokesman said: “Omaze takes consumer safeguarding very seriously. We operate in full compliance with all relevant UK regulations.”
McDonald’s was approached for comment by Express.co.uk.
