Social Media and Influencers Draw Thai Youth Into Gambling

Millions of Young Users Join Online Gambling

Recent figures show about 4 million users aged 15 to 25 have used online gambling sites. Many appear to be new users entering the market for the first time. Some reports suggest children as young as 15 are taking part.

That has raised concerns among police and government officials. They fear more young people could be exposed to gambling through daily online activity. Although authorities continue their crackdown, gambling websites remain easy to find. Mobile phones and social media make access simple for many young users.

Social Media Plays a Big Role

Officials say betting websites often promote their services through popular social media channels. Young people can see these promotions while watching videos or following online trends. Many online personalities use their large audiences to promote gambling websites. Their content may encourage followers to visit those sites and try betting activities.

Several factors may be helping this trend:

• Social media reaches large audiences quickly.

• Influencers attract attention from younger viewers.

• Mobile phones make gambling easy to access.

• Young users spend many hours online each day.

Police Increase Their Efforts

National Police Chief Kitrat Phanphet has ordered officers to keep pressure on gambling networks. He also warned that betting activity could rise during the upcoming World Cup. Major sporting events often bring more betting activity — making enforcement harder.

Police have assigned extra resources to watch football betting and related promotions. The aim is to reduce illegal activity before it grows further. New websites can appear soon after others are blocked. That keeps investigators busy across many online channels.

Hundreds of Thousands of Sites Blocked

Authorities blocked 717,425 gambling websites and social media accounts between October 2025 and May 2026. Senior official Trairong Phiwphan said authorities have also arrested influencers who promoted gambling websites. Beyond those arrests, investigators continue reviewing hundreds of other websites.

As gambling operators look for new ways to reach users, authorities continue blocking sites, making arrests, and carrying out investigations. The effort aims to protect young people from growing gambling risks online.