Gambling has started to grow again among underage students and consequently problem gambling has started to grow again among minors. There are 120 thousand students with a problematic gambling profile: more than half of them are under 18 years old. This is the previously unpublished data contained in the ESPAD® study, presented in preview in Milan on 11 April, during the third stage of “The Gambling Trap”, project created by BPER Banca e Notice Audience which aims to raise awareness among young people and not only about the risks of pathological gambling addiction.
To sound the alarm is Sabrina Molinaro, Research Director of the IFC-CNR Social Epidemiology Laboratory, who explained how «After the pandemic, gambling consumption has started to grow significantly again, especially thanks to the collection of online gaming; the latest estimates tell us about 150 billion euros raised in 2023 with over 50% online. This is also confirmed by the data emerging from our studies: gaming has started to grow again among minors and consequently problem gaming has also started to grow again among minors. Out of 120 thousand students with an estimated problem gambling profile in 2023, 63 thousand are under 18 years old. The world of gambling, among very young people, seems closely linked to that of video games: very widespread among students. A phenomenon that seems to especially affect minors and bring them closer to problem gambling."
The one in Milan is the third of four events, the first of which in Bari and the second in Verona, which they include free meetings aimed at students and school staff, with dedicated focuses on how to stem the phenomenon of gambling among minors, and to all citizens, thanks also to the collaboration in this new edition of professional, with the aim of raising even greater awareness of the risks associated with gambling. The last stage will take place on May 8th in Florence.
Today's meeting, entitled “Minors and Gambling: how to prevent addiction among young people”, also accredited by the Order of Journalists of Lombardy, took place at the San Fedele Cultural Foundation in Milan, with the interventions of important speakers who have long been dealing with gambling addiction, including the former Director of the Department " Pathology of Addiction" of the ASL Torino 3 Paul Jarre, the psychotherapist Cristina Perilli, the researcher Sabrina Molinaro and the psychotherapist Riccardo Marco Scognamiglio.
Giovanna Zacchi, head of BPER's ESG Strategy service, declared: «The phenomenon of pathological gambling records truly worrying numbers. As BPER we are happy to be able to support the project Notice An audience that manages to reach a notable number of users, both students and citizens. Our Bank is also demonstrating on this occasion that it wants to be a protagonist in making people as aware as possible of the issues of financial education and the risks deriving from gambling."
Fabio Bottero echoes her, Regional coordinator of Notice Public and mayor of Trezzano sul Naviglio: «We thank BPER Banca for once again giving us the opportunity to carry out this project and to be able to make a stop in the city of Milan, which in 2022 confirmed itself at the top of the absolute ranking of gambling collections on physical network, with a considerable increase compared to the previous twelve months: +41,8%. Knowing in depth the pathological and criminal aspect of gambling is the first form of prevention that can be implemented to guarantee the health and safety of citizens, starting with young people."
A follow Paul Jarre, former Director of the "Pathology of Addiction" Department of the Torino 3 ASL, explains: «For over 10 years criminal legislation has prohibited any state gambling for minors; nevertheless almost a million kids say they have played at least once in the previous year. The places sanctioned, not much, for this reason there are only a few dozen, a negligible number. The situation is dramatic from an educational and legal point of view and requires immediate and effective counter measures both on the offline side and even more so on the web."
The approach is original Riccardo Marco Scognamiglio, which links gambling to the risk of digital addictions. «The link between minors and gambling certainly requires particular attention from the community and action from the institutions. Equal attention, however, should be paid to the online dimension and not only with regards to gambling. The Web, through the mechanism of Gamification, everything turned into a game. Social networks, shopping sites and dating apps respond to the same psychological mechanisms as gambling. Result: we can't tear ourselves away from the Web or from slot machines. The new generations, born and raised in the digital age, are certainly the most affected as they are little aware of the virtual environment in which they found themselves immersed right from the start. The adult therefore needs to create digital education and above all to provide alternatives to online life."
To close the seminar Cristina Perilli, psychotherapist of the ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo and manager of the San Carlo desk SPAZIO GIO: «The desk was created in an attempt to start a process of early diagnosis and intercept that population which is difficult to reach the Serd, especially women and very young people. An excellent result has been achieved with women, whom we intercept in an ever-increasing manner. While we are worried about the very young: minors, unfortunately, continue to not reach the counter services. However, the population group aged 18 to 24 is more sensitive: they frequent the counters to ask for information, especially on how to behave. As do many parents and even brothers, older sisters, friends and even teachers who come to ask for advice."
The project will continue tomorrow morning, Friday 12th April with the meeting with the students of the Street number Manzoni School Complex, who will meet the psychotherapist Matteo Fumagalli and the epidemiologist Sabrina Molinaro.
