By Hannah Gunn
Who I am and why I do this
I’m the North Wales Education and Prevention Lead at Ara, and my role is all about helping young people, and the professionals around them, make sense of an increasingly complex digital world. A big part of that is looking at online harms, especially around gambling and gaming, and giving people the knowledge and confidence to spot risks early.
Over the past year, I’ve delivered sessions to more than 5,000 young people, and also worked with over 1,000 youth professionals: teachers, safeguarding leads, pastoral teams, and students training to go into these roles. That part of the work is just as important to me. When you support the adults around young people, the impact goes so much further.
I deliver sessions in both Welsh and English, which has been a bit of a journey. I hadn’t properly used my Welsh since college, so getting back into it was a challenge at first! But it’s been so rewarding to build that confidence again and connect with people in the language they’re most comfortable with.
I’m also incredibly proud to have been chosen to deliver a workshop at the National Education Show in Llandudno, Friday 12th June 2026. For me, that’s a real opportunity; not just to share what I do, but to reach the people who are on the front line every single day in schools and colleges. If I can help them feel more confident having these conversations, that ripple effect is huge.
6 lessons, 250 Year 7s… and a LOT of energy!
Some days in this job really stay with you. Like the time I walked into a school knowing I had six back-to-back lessons with Year 7s, around 250 students in total. If you’ve ever been in a room full of 11-year-olds, you’ll know exactly what that means… energy, noise, excitement, and a lot of opinions!
The moment I mention gaming, that’s it: hands everywhere. They’re desperate to tell me about what they play, who they watch, and the latest trends I need to know about. And honestly, I love that part. It keeps me learning, keeps me relevant, keeps me “ahead of the game.”
But it also has its challenges. Sometimes the names they bring up, the people influencing them, are the ones that make you pause. People like Andrew Tate or Togi. As a parent myself, I find that difficult. It’s a real reminder of how easy it is for young people to fall into toxic spaces online.
What always sticks with me, though, is how open they are. I’ll ask something like, “What do you think young people might gamble with?” and you get everything from sweets and fidgets… to siblings, pets, or even “a room in mum and dad’s house.” It’s funny, but it also says a lot about how they see risk and value in their world.
Why this matters more than we think
On paper, the stats say that around 30% of 11–17-year-olds have gambled with their own money in the last 12 months. But if I’m honest, that’s not what I see when I’m standing in front of a class.
When I ask that question in real life, it’s often 60–80% of hands going up.
That gap is hard to ignore.
Because gambling for young people doesn’t always look the way we expect. It’s not just betting shops or casinos, it’s in games, apps, and everyday online spaces. Loot boxes, mystery packs, in-game purchases, “free” apps… it’s all designed to keep them engaged, often without them realising what’s really going on.
Alongside working with young people, I genuinely love delivering sessions to youth professionals too. There’s something really motivating about being in a room full of people who want to learn, who know this is something they’ll face in their careers, and who are keen to get it right. Those conversations matter, because they help create safer environments where young people feel understood and supported.
At the end of the day, this work is about real people and real experiences. Gambling, and gambling-like behaviours, are becoming part of everyday digital life for young people. The more we talk about it openly, the better chance we have of helping them recognise the risks, make informed choices, and stay safe in a world that’s constantly evolving.
For more information about our Ahead of the Game youth work visit www.AraEducate.co.uk or email Youth@recovery4all.co.uk
