Adolescent gaming and gambling: risks and implications for prevention and health promotion

Abstract Background Gaming and gambling in adolescence raise growing concerns. Gaming is increasingly resembling gambling due to factors such as the role of chance in video games, the opportunities for direct betting, and the possibility of ‘investing’ money. As literature shows, video games could facilitate the ‘transition’ both to gambling and gambling addiction. Therefore, research efforts should further investigate the relationship between problem gaming and problem gambling in adolescents, in order to explore implications for prevention and health promotion. Methods Data from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) 2022 surveillance in the Lombardy Region (Italy) were employed to evaluate the association between gaming and gambling among students aged 15-17. Specifically, a logistic regression was conducted with problem gambling as the dependent variable (independent variables: problem gaming, age, gender, nationality, socio-economic status, and problematic use of social media). Results The odds of individuals with problematic video game use of being problem gamblers were approximately two times higher (OR = 2.092; 95% CI: 1.503-2.911) compared to those without problematic video game use. Similarly, social media usage was a risk factor, with the odds of being a problem gambler approximately two times higher (OR = 2.011; 95% CI: 1.322-3.058) for individuals with problematic social media use. Furthermore, the likelihood of being a problem gambler were six times higher for males (OR = 6.398; 95% CI: 4.388-9.328); odds also increased with age (OR = 2.049; 95% CI: 1.556-2.698). Conclusions Results from the HBSC Lombardy surveillance confirmed the association between problem gaming and problem gambling in adolescents. This evidence is acknowledged within the Problem Gambling Plan of the Lombardy Region, which outlines communication actions, as well as health promotion and prevention programs to be accomplished, particularly in school settings. Key messages • Rasing awareness on the risks of both gaming and gambling among adolescents and adults. • Highlighting the need to regulate advertising and limit the use of gambling-related elements in video games.