The rapid growth of social commerce is changing the way younger consumers discover brands, products and services online. As shopping increasingly moves from search engines to platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, the same shift could have wider implications for the gambling industry — particularly when it comes to how young people encounter gambling-related content.
According to PwC’s Retail Monitor 2026, social commerce is becoming a significant global sales channel. The worldwide market is expected to reach around €1.28 trillion by 2030, reflecting the growing influence of social media in consumers’ purchasing decisions.
The trend is particularly pronounced among Generation Z. PwC data indicates that 53% of Gen Z consumers have already purchased products through social platforms, while 68% have discovered new brands through social media. For younger consumers, social platforms are increasingly becoming the starting point of the purchasing journey rather than traditional search engines.
That behavioural shift is relevant beyond retail.
From social discovery to gambling exposure
The Netherlands Gambling Authority (Kansspelautoriteit, Ksa) recently published three studies examining gambling behaviour and exposure among minors and young adults. Together, the studies provide a picture of a generation growing up in an environment where gambling can be encountered through social, digital and physical channels from an early age.
The regulator concluded that gambling appears to have become increasingly normalised in Dutch society. Children can encounter gambling-related activities before reaching the legal age of 18, often indirectly through parents, older friends or family members.
The social dimension is particularly important. Young people may encounter activities such as poker or sports betting in groups and perceive them as harmless entertainment rather than as gambling with potential risks.
This creates an interesting parallel with the rise of social commerce. Social media is no longer simply a place where consumers communicate or watch entertainment. It has become an environment where people discover products, interact with brands and increasingly complete transactions.
For the gambling sector, that raises an important question: what happens when commercial discovery, entertainment and gambling content increasingly occupy the same digital space?
Young adults move quickly into the regulated market
The Ksa's research into 18-to-24-year-olds found that accounts with licensed online gambling operators are frequently created when consumers reach the legal age.
Among newly created accounts in this age group, 41% belonged to 18-year-olds. At the same time, these youngest players deposited and wagered less money on average than older young adults.
Interestingly, the research did not confirm earlier indications that sports betting is necessarily the main gateway to other forms of gambling. In this particular study, most young adults started with casino games.
That finding may be significant as gambling operators and policymakers consider how younger consumers move from general online entertainment towards regulated gambling.
Social influence starts before adulthood
The Ksa's qualitative research, conducted by Youngworks, found that many young people encounter gambling before turning 18.
In many cases, this happens through legal gambling products that are intended for adults but reach minors indirectly. Examples include parents buying scratch cards for children or older acquaintances allowing minors to use an online gambling account.
The social context can make these experiences appear relatively harmless. Gambling may take place alongside other group activities, making it less likely that young people immediately associate it with financial or behavioural risks.
The research also found a potentially important counterpoint: many young people recognise
