The easy accessibility of online gambling, coupled with the increasing availability of digital platforms, have led to an increase in the number of people engaged in these forms of gambling. These data have raised concerns among a range of professionals, including educators and health professionals, who are increasingly concerned about the potential negative effects of online gambling, particularly financial problems and impacts on mental health. 

It is undeniable that the digital world has enabled us to optimise numerous common day-to-day tasks, such as grocery shopping or communicating with other people. However, it also has its drawbacks, bringing with it new problems or new forms of old problems. One of the industries most affected by the digital transformation is the gambling industry, in particular with regard to accessibility (e.g., one can bet money at an online casino without leaving the house). The online gambling market is effectively growing worldwide, driven by technological advances and also by the growing confidence that consumers have in online cash transactions. According to Statista, the statistics and market data platform, it is expected that by 2028, this business area will be worth over USD 114.4 billion worldwide, which symbolises a very significant increase in relation to the USD 61.5 billion registered in 2021, and it is important to note that online gambling is currently the fastest-growing gaming mode. 

Unlike common pastimes, gambling, by its nature and the fact that it involves money being transferred, can be highly addictive, causing serious damage to the financial, physical, and emotional health of individuals, families, and society in general (Wardle, H., et al., 2021; Riley, B. J., et al., 2021). Furthermore, although there are clear age restrictions for involvement in this type of activity, the literature suggests that among younger age groups, the prevalence of online gambling activities is significantly higher than those observed in adults (Calado, F., et al., 2020). In light of this scenario, it is essential to understand this problem, particularly among young people, given that these new forms of online gambling seem to present themselves as especially seductive for this population. 

With the understanding and mapping of online activities related to gambling among the Portuguese population of young people being urgently required, this research aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of this phenomenon, specifically in this less studied population. For this purpose, a telephone survey was conducted during the months of March and April 2023, with the aim of studying the phenomenon in a sample of 2,028 young people aged between 15 and 34 years and residing in Portugal. 

The study investigated the involvement of participants in gambling, both in its traditional form (offline) and through online platforms, with the aim of mapping the prevalence of these types of activities in the population under study (fig. 1). The results suggest a strong preference for the traditional forms of gambling among participants, although a significant portion also used online gambling platforms. 

Among the 2,028 respondents, it was found that 1,371 (67.6%) had already bet money on a game, whereas 657 (32.4%) said they had never participated in gambling activities. Those who admitted to having gambled already were subsequently asked whether they had done so in a traditional, face-to-face (offline) way and/or through online platforms. The results reveal that the overwhelming majority of these respondents, approximately 92.6% (1,273 individuals), had bet money on gambling using traditional (offline) methods. On the other hand, a smaller but significant number, 41.5% (569 individuals), had bet money using online gambling.

Significant differences were confirmed between men and women in their gambling participation, both offline and online alike (fig. 2). While male participation is prevalent in online gambling (61.2% versus 17.1% in women), women present a higher rate of engagement in offline gambling (97.4% versus 89.2% in men). Thus, in online gambling, and in contrast to what was verified for offline cash betting, men display a higher participation rate than women. This discrepancy in participation between genders suggests the existence of distinct preferences, possibly influenced by numerous factors (e.g., social and cultural). These findings highlight the importance of understanding the specific motivations and behaviours of men and women within the context of gambling, allowing a more comprehensive look at this phenomenon, and enabling the implementation of appropriate prevention and intervention strategies in the Portuguese context. 

When we analyse the distribution by age group in gambling (fig. 3), we observe that 90.27% of individuals aged between 15 and 24 years have already participated in offline gambling, whereas 9.73% have never done so. In the 25 to 34 age group, the participation rate in offline games is even higher, with 94.84% having already bet money, and only 5.16% who have never participated. In addition, we found that 45.97% of people between the ages of 15 and 24 bet in online gambling, while in the 25-34 age group, the number is 38.06%. In summary, it is confirmed that people between 25 and 34 years of age have a higher participation rate in offline gambling in comparison with the 15 -24 age group, whereas the 15-24 age group presents a higher participation rate in online betting in comparison with the 25-34 age group. These data highlight the differing preferences and behaviours of gamblers in different age groups. 

In summary, the data show differences in participation in offline and online gambling by gender and age group. Women prefer offline gambling, whereas men lean towards online gambling. People between the ages of 25 and 34 bet more offline, and those aged 15 to 24 show higher online engagement.

When we analyse the data that reveal the frequency of engagement in online gambling activities, involving cash betting in different periods (fig. 4), it is confirmed that 33.9% of participants admitted to having gambled on 41 or more occasions, while 16.5% had gambled from 1 to 4 times during their lifetime. In the last 12 months, the highest percentage was 20.2% in the 1-to-4-times category, followed by 19.9% for those who admitted having bet from 5 to 14 times. In the last 3 months, the majority of respondents (29.4%) played from 1 to 4 times, and 22.6% participated on 5 to 14 occasions. These data indicate that, generally, the majority of respondents have a relatively low to moderate frequency of online gambling. However, it is concerning to note that a significant percentage of respondents (33.9%) have already engaged in online betting on 41 or more occasions during their lifetime, which raises questions regarding the gambling behaviour of these individuals. These findings are relevant for understanding participation patterns and the potential risks and impacts of online gambling. 

The data presented refer to the average amount spent per month by participants who bet on forms of online gambling, divided into six categories: “Under 20 euros”, “From 21 to 40 euros”, “From 41 to 60 euros”, “From 61 to 80 euros”, “From 81 to 100 euros” and “Over 101 euros”. As can be observed in figure 5, the following distribution is obtained: 59.3% spend 20 euros or less per month; 15.8% spend between 21 and 40 euros per month; 8.2% spend between 41 and 60 euros per month; 0.7% spend between 61 and 80 euros per month; 2.8% spend between 81 and 100 euros per month, while 7.3% spend 101 euros or more per month. On the other hand, 5.9% of participants who report gambling for cash online did not know or did not answer this question. 

Based on the data obtained from self-reporting by young online betters, it is found that around 60% spend 20 euros or less per month, suggesting some control of spending on this type of activities. It is also relevant to note that 11.7% of participants spend between 41 and 100 euros per month, i.e., only a limited percentage of participants engage in expenditure higher than 41 euros, revealing a clear investment, but still with some restraint in the amount allocated to these types of online activities. However, it should be pointed out that among the 7.3% of participants who do report spending over 101 euros per month on online gambling, 1.8% spend 250 euros or a higher amount.

There is currently a high diversity of online games played for money. To better characterise gambler behaviour, we examined the frequency of online participation in gambling over the last year by type of game, with 11 distinct types of game categorised: “EuroMillions”, “Scratch Cards”, “Totoloto” (Portuguese national lottery), “Bingo”, “Slot machines”, “Sports bets”, “Poker”, “Casino games”, “Card games for cash”, “Dice games for cash” and “Loot boxes”. Each participant was asked to indicate how frequently they engaged in each of these activities, using the following categories: “Not once / Never“, “Once a year”, “Once every 3 months”, “Once a month”, “Once a week”, “Every day” and “Several times a day”. 

As can be observed in figure 6, from among the diverse range of gambling games available online, it is sports betting that is the most popular and responsible for the highest frequency of activity among participants. In fact, 61.5% of online betters engaged in this mode of gambling in the last 12 months. It is also in sports betting where a higher frequency of gambling is found: 13.5% of players indicate that they place sports bets monthly, while 17.8% place sports bets weekly, and 8.1% place bets daily or even several times per day. In addition, only sports bets, along with casino games and poker, are played online several times a day by, respectively, 0.7%, 0.4%, and 0.2% of the set of respondents who gamble for cash online.

Coming up second in the ranking of popularity with young betters are online casino games, which in the last year engaged 25.7% of young online players, with 6.9% engaging in this type of game with a monthly frequency and 5% betting in online casinos on a weekly or even daily basis.

It is also relevant to examine online gambling behaviours in relation to slot machines and EuroMillions. These two formats seem to enjoy limited popularity among young Portuguese betters online, as only 15.1% and 14.2%, respectively, of online gamblers participated in this type of gambling during the period studied.

Interestingly, poker, which among the many online gambling games, was the one that aroused the most expressive following among Portuguese betters in the 4th National Survey on the Consumption of Psychoactive Substances in the General Population (SICAD, 2019), with about a quarter of gamblers placing bets on poker, emerges with less popularity in this study, since only 10.3% of young online betters have ventured into this modality in the last 12 months. This difference may be due to differences in sample composition, since the study by the Intervention Service in Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies (SICAD, according to the acronym in Portuguese) involved Portuguese people aged between 15 and 74 years, whereas this research is limited to Portuguese people aged between 15 and 34 years.

The “BlindGame” project aimed to map the online behaviours of young Portuguese people aged between 15 and 34, having additionally allowed the outlining of the profile of young online gamblers in Portugal, which relates to younger men, similar to findings in other countries. The prevalence of gambling among young Portuguese people is high, with two out of every three young people having already participated in offline gambling, while one in every four has already gambled online. Although their gambling practices are diverse, participation in online gambling tends to be occasional, with sports betting being the format that most mobilises these young betters, who mostly do not exceed a spend of 20 euros per month when engaging in these types of activities. 

These results offer reasons for reflection and concern: although the majority of Portuguese young people do not present problematic online behaviour, either by not engaging in gambling or only doing so occasionally and in a recreational and controlled manner, there is, however, a segment of young people who appear to show risk behaviour or even reveal dependence on online gambling. Some of these young people are under the age of 25, increasing their vulnerability. It is important to note that engaging in online gambling can be more problematic than offline gambling for vulnerable individuals. In fact, not only does its nature make it more problematic and invasive than other forms of gambling; the availability and ease of access to these platforms anytime and anywhere, the diversity of game formats, the possibility of placing bets quickly and continuously, and the persuasive strategies used not only stimulate adherence but also favour a greater intensity of these practices among the younger population. 

The results presented herein appear to demonstrate the importance of parents and educators being vigilant regarding the involvement of young people in online gambling. Furthermore, it is urgently necessary to provide effective support and intervention for those young people who show signs of problematic behaviour, in order to minimise the detrimental effects of these gambling practices on the health and well-being of young people. Finally, it would appear important to alert public decision-makers regarding the real need for proactive public policies that can act upon this area and mitigate the impacts described.

Embora este estudo tenha permitido proceder a uma caraterização do jogo on-line em Portugal junto da população jovem, os resultados ora apurados convocam a necessidade de uma compreensão mais alargada deste fenómeno social, quer para a definição de políticas públicas (que não somente regulatórias) do jogo a dinheiro on-line, quer para uma atuação concertada dos diversos agentes (e.g., empresas de jogos de azar, empresas de software, reguladores, afiliados, etc.), não apenas no sentido da prevenção, mas também da intervenção e tratamento para diminuir os comportamentos de jogo on-line suscetíveis de conduzir a situações patológicas. Estudos futuros são, por isso, necessários para, entre outros aspetos, compreender eventuais interações entre comportamentos de jogo on-line e off-line e entre gaming e jogos a dinheiro, examinar com maior detalhe os seus preditores e efeitos nos jovens portugueses, bem como alargar a esfera de conhecimento à caraterização, na sociedade portuguesa, dos comportamentos e eventuais fenómenos de dependência de jogo a dinheiro por parte das crianças e adolescentes.

WARDLE, H., et al. (2021): «The Lancet Public Health Commission on gambling», The Lancet Public Health, 6(1), e2-e3. 

RILEY, B. J., et al. (2021): «Attitudes, Risk Factors, and Behaviours of Gambling among Adolescents and Young People: A Literature Review and Gap Analysis», International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(3), 984.   

CALADO, F., J. ALEXANDRE, e M. D. GRIFFITHS (2020): «Gambling Among Adolescents and Emerging Adults: A Cross-Cultural Study Between Portuguese and English Youth», International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 18(3), 737-753. 

SERVIÇO DE INTERVENÇÃO NOS COMPORTAMENTOS ADITIVOS E NAS DEPENDÊNCIAS (SICAD, 2019): «Jogo, internet e outros comportamentos aditivos - Dossier Temático».