The Fall 2022 study: 96% of children ages 11-16 have been exposed to gambling and/or video games

According to the Fall 2022 study, 96% of children ages 11-16 have been exposed to gambling and/or video games. The study "Exposure of Minors to Gambling and Video Games in 2022", conducted jointly by the Gambling Addiction Counseling Center and Kantar Emor on behalf of the Ministry of Social Affairs, was the first of its kind in Estonia. Of course video games and online gambling with no deposit bonuses are not the same thing, but it appears that video games are using gambling mechanics.

 

The aim of the project was to get a systematic overview of children's online gambling behavior and to identify risk groups for gambling addiction. The study assessed online gambling (including online casinos, card games, money betting) and video games, i.e. electronic games played on game consoles, computers or smart devices.

 

From the study, it appears that (study margin of error of 2-7%)

 

∙ 4% of 11-16 year olds gambled at least once a week and 7% gambled at least once a month.

 

∙ 16% gambled to avoid problems or unpleasant feelings.

 

∙ 5% of all children and 24% of all gamblers could be defined as having a gambling problem.

 

∙ 3% of all children and 3% of all video game players can be defined as having video game related problems.

 

∙ 3% of video game players and 5% of gambling players are at risk for gambling addiction. Gender and age are not associated with being at risk.

 

Research shows that 83% of children between the ages of 11 and 16 play video games at least once a week. The most popular video games fall into the sandbox (Minecraft, Portal Knights, Terraria, The Witcher, etc.) and shooter (Fortnite, Halo Infinite, Quake, Counter Strike, etc.) genres, as well as real-time strategy games (Civilization 5, World of Warcraft, Battlefleet Gothic: Armada 2, etc.). It is noted that children may play only video games, but may combine this with gambling (20%).

 

The survey indicates that occasionally or frequently 20% of players felt bad or irritated when trying to stop gambling or reduce the amount of time spent gambling. 16% of children gambled to escape from problems or unpleasant feelings, and 15% tried to win back money lost the day before. Children who gambled most often played casino games and poker.



"Many adults, based on their own feelings, say that today's children and youth spend too much time in front of screens. It's important to understand how big the problem really is and whether this is part of the traditional 'youth are doomed' rhetoric," said Triinu Tächt, Prevention Policy Coordinator for the Mental Health Division of the Ministry of Social Affairs. - "The mental health of children and adolescents has been hit hardest by the Covid crisis. As children were forced to stay at home and social interaction ceased, we were very concerned that a huge proportion of children were over-involved in video games. It turned out that our fears were higher than the actual percentage of problem gamers. At the same time, the study clearly shows that even if there is no addiction, getting too involved with video games can cause other problems. It is also worrying that so many young people have started gambling for money," added Tyacht.

 

Kantar Emor expert Jaanika Hyammal, who conducted the study, said boys are more likely to come into contact with the possibility of gambling than girls. "Boys are more likely to play video games on a weekly basis, they are exposed to more different games and are more likely to use real money to buy different game elements or trade with other players," Hyammal said.

 

The analysis found that 22% of video game players almost always or often felt too busy playing; 18% had difficulty trying to control or stop the game, and 15% felt irritation, anxiety, and sadness.

 

46% of video gamers experienced loss of interest in past hobbies or activities due to gaming, including 9% who almost always or often experienced this. 52% of children say their academic success, grades, or important relationships with family and friends have suffered. It happened quite often to 6% of respondents.

 

"It's good that today we have data from which we can plan future actions. Many parents don't know what kids are actually doing when they pick up devices. Play is often seen as simply a developmental activity, which it certainly is if approached intelligently. However, because the game is addictive, the child is unable to recognize the risks and regulate his or her own behavior," said Pille-Riin Indermitte, board member of the Gambling Addiction Counseling Center and clinical psychologist.

 

This is the first prevalence study conducted in Estonia to get a picture of children's online gambling behavior and to identify risk groups for gambling addiction. It was conducted by Kantar Emor in cooperation with the Gaming Addiction Counseling Center between September 21 and October 12, 2022. A total of 280 children aged 11-16 living in Estonia were surveyed.

 

The study is funded by the Ministry of Social Affairs. It is part of the project "Prevention of Gaming Addiction and Support for People with Gaming Addiction and their Relatives".



The Ministry of Social Affairs will continue activities that promote child development through parenting support programs, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science will continue to design special kindergarten and school environments that promote mental health. And also work to implement the cross-sector prevention agreement with other ministries, support the development of mental health services at the local level, and, of course, fund gambling addiction counseling services.

 

The Gambling Addiction Counselling Centre provides assessment, counselling and psychotherapy services for gambling and digital addiction. The service is funded by the Ministry of Social Affairs and is free of charge for those in need of help.