Your grandkids are being targeted by pokies on social media—experts say you need to act NOW

Poker machines have long been a source of controversy—but now, a new twist is drawing alarm from the nation’s top doctors.

A surprising group is being accused of promoting risky behaviour in a way regulators didn’t see coming.

Here’s why medical experts are calling for urgent action on an emerging trend taking over social media.


The Australian Medical Association has sounded the alarm on a fast-growing trend they say could glamorise dangerous gambling behaviour among young people.

Social media influencers, some with large followings, have begun sharing videos of themselves pouring hundreds of dollars into poker machines—often in exchange for new followers or likes.

Public health experts warned the phenomenon could undermine years of harm minimisation work and open the door to a new generation of gambling-related harm.


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Influencers under fire for glamorising pokies use. Source: Instagram/australiagamble


Dr Danielle McMullen, president of the AMA, did not hold back in her assessment.

‘They are clearly targeted at young people and seek to glamorise what is a dangerous habit and not one we would encourage people to take part in,’ she said.

‘These videos show that our regulations around gambling just aren’t keeping up with the 21st century. They are essentially ads for gambling and our governments need to take a long hard look about how we get on top of this content.’

The concerns followed the release of a new report commissioned by the Victorian government, which estimated the social cost of gambling in the state had doubled—from $7 billion in 2014–15 to $14 billion in 2022–23.

The increase came despite fewer people gambling overall. Researchers suggested that those who did gamble—particularly those at higher risk of harm—were spending more money and experiencing greater losses.

The figures took into account tangible costs like bankruptcy, as well as less visible impacts such as emotional distress and depression.


Videos showed influencers playing poker machines on camera and promising to continue until a certain number of users followed them.

Others showcased jackpot wins, like one user turning $5 into $164,000, but failed to include any context about losses.

Many of these videos lacked the responsible gambling messages that are legally required in broadcast ads, podcasts and other gambling-related promotions.


Source: Instagram/australiagamble​


More troubling still, several of these videos could easily be viewed by children and teenagers.

Dr Mark Johnson, a senior lecturer at the University of Sydney who has studied the intersection of gambling and social media, said the rise of influencers focused on poker machines was ‘an incredibly new phenomenon’.

‘We’re seeing people who have already built significant followings shifting into gambling content in recent years, while we’ve also seen people starting off with this kind of content and trying to reach the status of an influencer,’ he said.

‘This is then a wholly contemporary thing, and there’s almost no research on it.’


Public health campaigners have expressed alarm at the potential consequences, warning that such content may be introducing young people to poker machines long before they are legally allowed to use them—normalising risky behaviour and sidestepping conventional advertising regulations.

Social media company Meta, which owns one of the platforms where the content has appeared, said it had strict rules about gambling promotion and would ‘remove any content that does not comply with our standards as soon as we become aware’ of it.

‘Both the advertiser and creator must obtain written permission to promote real money gambling and must comply with all applicable Australian laws and regulations,’ a Meta spokesperson said.

However, questions remained over whether these influencer posts technically qualified as advertisements, as they did not appear to be sponsored by gambling companies or venues. Many of the videos had remained online for weeks.


The Australian media regulator has also stepped in, following an earlier investigation that found social media influencers were inadvertently promoting an offshore gambling company banned from targeting Australian consumers.

Some videos featured company names, links to overseas websites, and financial incentives to create new accounts.

In response, the regulator warned influencers they could face fines of up to $59,400 for ‘promoting or publicising illegal online gambling services’.

Meta noted that it used a ‘strike system to hold advertisers and creators accountable for the content they post’, which could lead to restrictions or even account bans for repeat offenders.

The Australian Influencer Marketing Council added that education for creators was still lacking.

‘Many creators engaging in affiliate marketing may not fully understand the regulatory frameworks in which they operate,’ a spokesperson said.

What began as isolated posts has grown into a wider pattern—one with major implications for Australia’s ongoing battle against gambling harm.

With mounting pressure on both social media platforms and lawmakers, public health experts say the next steps will determine whether this emerging threat is stamped out or allowed to flourish.


As younger generations are exposed to these machines through social media, it’s clear the problem is evolving—not disappearing.

If you’re curious about how poker machines have affected Australian communities more broadly, there’s another story worth reading.

Read more: How poker machines are hurting Australia

If you or someone you know is experiencing gambling harm, help is available. In Australia, call Gambling Help Online at 1800 858 858 or the National Debt Helpline at 1800 007 007.

In the UK, contact the NHS National Problem Gambling Clinic at 020 7381 7722 or GamCare at 0808 8020 133. In the US, call 800-GAMBLER or text 800GAM.

Key Takeaways
  • Doctors warned that influencers are glamorising poker machine use by posting videos without responsible gambling messages.
  • A Victorian report showed gambling’s social cost had doubled to \$14 billion despite fewer people gambling overall.
  • Experts raised concerns that teens could easily access these videos, normalising risky behaviour before legal age.
  • Regulators and social media platforms are under pressure to act, with creators facing potential fines for illegal promotions.

As gambling content continues to evolve online, many fear it’s becoming harder to protect younger generations from its influence.

For older Australians who’ve seen how pokies have impacted families and communities over the decades, this new trend may feel all too familiar—just in a modern disguise.

Have you noticed gambling becoming more visible or normalised in everyday media?
 

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Glad we don't have pokies in WA, except at the casino.
Coming from a family with generational gambling addiction I have seen the harm it can do.
It destroyed my parents marriage. Not only my father but his three brothers lost their families and their homes.
Their father not only losr his home but his butcher shop and the only reason he didn't loose his wife was because in those days women had no support and nowhere to go in those circumstances.
Gambling is a curse.
 
I'll play a pokie from time to time but if I get a decent win it's paid out & put in my wallet & I walk away. My biggest concern is the proliferation of online gambling sites that suck in mostly young blokes & they usually bet big. I've seen several young couples lives break down because of online gambling which you can do anywhere via smartphone but these reports are always about the bad, bad pokies & the online scourge is mostly overlooked.
 
I'll play a pokie from time to time but if I get a decent win it's paid out & put in my wallet & I walk away. My biggest concern is the proliferation of online gambling sites that suck in mostly young blokes & they usually bet big. I've seen several young couples lives break down because of online gambling which you can do anywhere via smartphone but these reports are always about the bad, bad pokies & the online scourge is mostly overlooked.
Ones as bad as the other for compulsive gamblers.
Not everybody puts their winnings in their wallet and walks away.
Compulsive gamblers are always chasing their losses and when they win they keep going because want more.
 
Can't see any reason how people could possibly find this fun. 🙄

I recently went on a short cruise from Sydney and on the ship they had a lot of betting machines with people wasting their money, and time, on them all day.🙄

However, in the early 80's (In the UK) I used to spend a lot of money on arcade games especially Asteroids. Sometimes it was about £8 (about$16) a week!!😁
 
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Yes so true my ex was one of those 😢
When l used to go with my mother and sister to the club which was hardly ever they used to play on those pokie machine and l would just sit there watching people pile money in the machines thinking how stupid they were.
The would just sit there not daring to move in case someone took over their machine and got the jackpot.The machines were all rigged to make sure the clu go
 
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When l used to go with my mother and sister to the club which was hardly ever they used to play on those pokie machine and l would just sit there watching people pile money in the machines thinking how stupid they were.
The would just sit there not daring to move in case someone took over their machine and got the jackpot.The machines were all rigged to make sure the clu go
don't know what happened but l was just going to finish off by saying that the machine are rigged and the club makes sure they get their share first
 
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The article talks about the effect of poker machines on young people.
Next time you are near one, take a bit if time and watch the kids on those claw machines. Some con mum/dad out of a number of gold coins on the quest for a chocolate that might cost less that a dollar.
When you see this happening, you are witnessing the dawn of addictive behaviour.
Gambling is a curse and a blight on society. Pokies should be banned.
 
Why because some people have no self control might as well ban being alive.😳
Would you tell an alcoholic or drug addict to have some self control? The lack of understanding is obvious of how harmful this addiction can, in itself, be a catalyst for hard falls to come .The object here is awareness.
I'll put it out there and declare myself to be a compulsive gambler in recovery and free of those bloody machines for 24 years. They are a curse and self control does not come into it.
If I had not found help when I did, I would not be here today. Suicide was a very real intention.
I'll tell you all another couple of things ..
Gaming machine companies, like Aristocrat, spend millions each year to find ways of making the machines more alluring. Where is the control?
The Government is so addicted to the revenue from gambling, things will take a long time to change.
 
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Would you tell an alcoholic or drug addict to have some self control? The lack of understanding is obvious of how harmful this addiction can, in itself, be a catalyst for hard falls to come .The object here is awareness.
I'll put it out there and declare myself to be a compulsive gambler in recovery and free of those bloody machines for 24 years. They are a curse and self control does not come into it.
If I had not found help when I did, I would not be here today. Suicide was a very real intention.
I'll tell you all another couple of things ..
Gaming machine companies, like Aristocrat, spend millions each year to find ways of making the machines more alluring. Where is the control?
The Government is so addicted to the revenue from gambling, things will take a long time to change.
Hey I’m not here to argue with you I’m an ex drinker 31/2 years sober. Have a nice day 🌞
 
Hey I’m not here to argue with you I’m an ex drinker 31/2 years sober. Have a nice day 🌞
I wasn't aware my comments were argumentative, if so, that was not my intention, so, no pistols as 40 paces i hope. Even after 24 years I still have my tender spots. Something else for me to work on i suppose.
Congratulations on your sobriety. It's a wonderful accomplishment.
 

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