Fondazione Fair has published its study into how young adults interact with gambling, and how this can escalate to harmful behaviour later down the line.
The Research Unit in Economic Psychology conducted an online survey with 1,342 young people aged between 18 and 25 who lived in Italy.
A total of 41.4% of people questioned had gambled within the last three months, which would be extrapolated to 1.9 million young people in Italy.
Demographics
The gender split was similar here as in other studies, with 65% of players being male and 35% being female.
Online was the most popular, with 52% of players preferring iGaming while 24% played mainly or only at retail locations.
Interestingly, 71% reported that they only played with friends and family, while 29% admitted they gambled on their own.
73% of players said they first tried gambling with friends and family, suggesting that Italians still view gambling as a social event.
Only 9% of players first tried gambling after 21 years of age, with 69% starting between 18-20 years and 22% first experiencing gambling under the age of 18.
Perceptions
When asked about certain sentiments, 57% of non-players agreed that gambling was risky and you can lose a lot of money, while 43% of players thought the same.
An average of 29% of people agreed that people only play for money, while 23% believed people wagered for the passion of the game.
Only 34% of players felt that winning was a matter of luck, while 46% of non-players agreed.
Later in the study, 48% of players agreed that playing online was easier, but 47% felt that it was easier to keep control of playing while in a public space as opposed to at home.
43% of players agreed that playing in a physical location is a good way to spend time with friends; while another 43% preferred playing online before it offered more privacy and discretion.
While this is interesting from a data perspective, it also offers insight into why certain young people get into gambling. It is a social event for some, while something to be hidden by others.
Responsible gambling
As part of the study, researchers also asked the participants what they thought about different responsible gambling tools.
While 33% felt that responsible gaming offered greater tools for the player and 20% thought it helped with addiction or compulsive behaviour; 19% of those asked felt it was a form of greenwashing and 14% thought it was a "useless concept".
When asked who should be responsible for RG measures, 24% believed it was down to the player to set their own limits and play appropriately.
23% felt it was a shared responsibility, and only 7% pointed the finger at operators in the gaming sector.
A conclusion from the study summarised:
{{QUOTE}}In total, 22% started gambling before the age of 18: not just for fun, but also for the desire to feel like an adult. Like smoking, gambling is becoming a symbol of transition into adulthood. Greater attention from families, effective online controls, and targeted interventions to fight the allure of illegal gambling are needed{{/QUOTE}
Italy currently runs a BetOnMath project that teaches how the gambling industry works to school children. At least 250 maths teachers in Italy are part of this programme and teach it in their schools
