A recent study examining gambling advertising on Meta platforms in Ireland revealed a significant gender imbalance, with male users vastly outnumbering female users reached by such ads. This analysis, released on Thursday and conducted by the University of Cambridge, focused on 88 gambling operators licensed in Ireland and assessed a sample of 411 advertisements that ran between March 2024 and February 2025, targeting individuals aged 18 to over 65.
Researchers from the Academic Forum for the Study of Gambling meticulously analyzed Meta's advertising database, utilizing data required for disclosure under the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which mandates that large platforms disclose thorough records of paid ads as well as demographic summaries of their audiences in EU and EEA nations.
The results were striking, showing that 12,690,245 male accounts were reached compared to 5,458,438 female accounts, creating a ratio of 2.3:1 in favor of men. In total, 18,389,653 unique accounts were exposed to gambling advertisements during the study period.
Among the 411 adverts studied, 91, or 22%, specifically targeted men, while none were aimed solely at women. A substantial 74% of the advertisements were categorized as targeting all genders.
The research highlighted that younger adults dominated the ad reach, particularly the 25-34 age group, which made up 33.9% of the total at 6,246,408 accounts. The 35-44 age group followed, reaching 4,701,885 accounts, resulting in nearly 60% of all accounts reached falling within the 25-44 age range.
One standout finding showcased that a single advertisement from Betfair reached 1,320,179 unique accounts, accounting for about 26% of Ireland's population of roughly 5.15 million. The five most-viewed ads reached a combined total of 3,688,413 accounts.
The researchers pointed out that even though there was limited explicit targeting towards males, Meta's advertising algorithms heavily favored male users. They noted that the prevalence of sports-themed ads, particularly those centered on football, played a significant role in this gender disparity.
Dr. Elena Petrovskaya, the lead author and faculty member at the Cambridge Department of Computer Science and Technology, remarked, "Not that many adverts directly targeted men to begin with. But even when adverts were set to reach all genders, they still reached that very vulnerable group of young men. It shows that if companies just put ads on social media, they are still reaching young men – the group we know from other research is most at risk of gambling harms."
In terms of gambling behavior in Ireland, participation rates are notably high, with 64.5% of individuals engaging in gambling at some point. The high-risk gambling demographic shows that approximately 3.3% of the population is categorized as high risk, with men aged 25-34 exhibiting the highest rates of risky gambling behavior at 1.3%, compared to 0.2% among women in the same age group.
Petrovskaya stated, "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."
The data was gathered prior to the full implementation of Ireland's Gambling Regulation Act 2024, which came into effect in March 2025. This act established the Gambling Regulatory Authority and introduced stricter advertising regulations, including a ban on gambling ads on broadcast and on-demand audiovisual services between 5:30 AM and 9:00 PM. It also restricted gambling advertisements on social media and video platforms to users who follow licensed gambling operators.
Dr. Deidre Leahy, a co-author from MTU in Cork, emphasized the need for further analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of the Gambling Regulation Act. "This 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."
This study aligns with ongoing discussions regarding gambling advertisements in the UK, where MPs have denounced them as a public health concern, particularly those with sports themes aimed at younger audiences. A recent report by an All-Party Parliamentary Group on UK gambling advertisements called for more stringent reforms, highlighting a troubling trend of increased spending on digital platforms and social media, which risk normalizing gambling among minors.
The Cambridge analysis concluded that the Meta Ad Library serves as a useful tool for monitoring gambling advertisement practices in Ireland and across the EU. The researchers advocated for continued transparency in these platforms for effective regulatory oversight and suggested follow-up studies to gauge the repercussions of the Gambling Regulation Act, as well as diligent monitoring of enforcement to curtail illicit advertising.
