Teen Gamblers' Pathway to Adult Gambling: Risky Video Games and Its Impact

Risky Business: Teen Gamblers' Pathway to Adult Gambling

By Lisa Clausen

New research by the Australian Gambling Research Centre AGRC has uncovered alarming links between engaging in simulated gambling through video games as a teenager and advancing into real money gambling during young adulthood. This groundbreaking study, What is the link between video gaming and gambling?, was discussed by AGRC manager Dr Rebecca Jenkinson and Research Fellow Dr Kei Sakata during a recent webinar hosted by the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation.

A quarter of young Australians surveyed played simulated gambling games such as social casino apps when they were aged 16-17, with boys being more likely 24 than girls 15 to partake in this activity. Social casino games are designed to normalise and encourage gambling behavior by making the child's 'wins' more frequent and larger than those typically found in real money games.

We observed that young individuals who played simulated gambling games as teenagers were nearly four times more likely to engage in monetary gambling activities when they reached young adulthood, explned Dr Sakata. This highlights the significant impact of these gaming experiences on later gambling behaviors, suggesting a potential causal relationship between adolescent simulated gambling and adult gambling.

Drawing from data collected over two decades through Growing Up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Children LSAC, researchers conducted sophisticated analyses to uncover links between video games and gambling activities. From ages 16-17, only two percent of the participants were classified as at risk for or experiencing gambling harm. However, this percentage rose dramatically to nine percent approximately 54,000 young Australians by ages 18-19.

Notably, the study found that playing simulated gambling games increases the likelihood of transitioning into monetary gambling activities among young adults. Yet, it was also observed that dly video game players were not necessarily more likely to gamble as young adults, which underscores the complex relationship between gaming and gambling behaviors.

A number of factors emerged as risk indicators for gambling harm, including parental gambling habits and higher levels of alcohol use.

The rapid expansion of monetization in video games over the past decade has brought new challenges. Loot boxes, in-game purchases that offer advantages or upgrades, are now commonplace features across a wide range of titles, leading to concerns about their potential impacts on young gamers.

Dr Sakata's team's recent review of 67 international studies published since 2013 revealed growing evidence linking loot boxes and other in-game purchases with at-risk or problematic gambling behaviors. Moreover, there is accumulating evidence that exposure to these products can result in internet gaming disorder, mental health issues, and other negative outcomes.

Engaging players through loot box mechanics from viewing to opening and then purchasing items often results in increased levels of engagement and potential harm. As such, Dr Sakata's ongoing research explore how the experience of harm might evolve over time as gamers progress through these stages.

With increasing parental concern and calls for regulatory action on gambling-style gaming content med at teenagers, it is crucial that findings like this are used to inform public education campgns and policy reforms.

The AGRC team is hopeful that our research can contribute not only to the regulation of video games and in-game purchases but also to tlored health promotion messages about gambling harms, sd Dr Jenkinson. It highlights the need for ongoing research into factors such as protective behaviors, personality trts associated with gambling risk, and the effectiveness of various prevention strategies.

To address these concerns effectively, future studies should explore the role of parental support and other protective factors in preventing gambling harm among young people. It is also important to investigate which personality trts may influence a person's likelihood of engaging in risky gambling behavior.

In addition, further research on targeted health promotion messages can help rse awareness about the potential dangers of gambling-related activities within gaming contexts. This includes understanding how different groups of players might be more susceptible to these risks and tloring interventions accordingly.

By fostering a deeper understanding of the relationship between video games and adult gambling behaviors, stakeholders in the industry, policymakers, and concerned parents can work together to develop effective strategies that mitigate potential harms while respecting the benefits offered by gaming platforms. This collaborative approach ensures that young people's experiences with video games are enjoyable and safe without exposing them to unnecessary risks.

The article can be accessed here: Article Link

• The Foundation acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land, respecting their Elders past, present, and emerging. We pay our respects to the Aboriginal and Torres Strt Islander cultures.

• This content has been updated as of May 11, 2023.

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