2 out of 5 young people gamble… and you?

According to the DataSynergy survey, almost 40% of young Belgians aged 18 to 20 have already taken part in gambling or sports betting. Online betting, in particular, appeals to a young audience, often via unlicensed applications and sites.

The Gaming Commission has just published the results of a survey conducted by DataSynergy. According to the survey, 2 out of 5 young people aged between 18 and 20 have already taken part in games of chance, compared with 1 out of 2 in the survey conducted the previous year. It’s a significant drop, but between access to illegal sites, the influence of peers and the effectiveness of awareness campaigns, the findings are clear: gambling remains a reality among young people.

Online or offline: barriers easily circumvented

Since 1 September 2024, gambling and betting have been banned for under-21s in Belgium. Yet 39% of young people aged 18 to 20 questioned in the DataSynergy survey said they had taken part in gambling since that date. Although this figure is lower than the figure for 2023 (51%), it is still worrying, as it shows that a significant proportion of this age group is still escaping control.

Among 18-20 year-olds who have gambled:

• 34% have done so online,
• 29% in physical establishments,

Despite protection measures, online platforms remain a preferred channel, with few effective technical barriers to prevent access by young people who have reached the age of majority but are banned from gambling.

Legal and illegal sites: a blurred boundary for young people

The study reveals that 94% of 18-20 year-olds recognise at least one legal gambling site, but 44% also claim to know about illegal sites. This dual level of awareness poses a real problem in terms of channelling young people towards a regulated offering.

Even more serious: 20% of these young people have actually gambled on illegal sites, i.e. 1 in 5 young people, including 8% who have gambled exclusively on these platforms. The phenomenon is all the more alarming given that these sites have no obligation to protect players.

Gambling frequency: a minority, but high-risk behaviour

Among 18-20 year-olds who have gambled:

• 26% are occasional gamblers (a few times a year or a month),
• 13% are frequent gamblers (at least once a week),
• 6% gamble almost every day.

These at-risk profiles are particularly susceptible to addiction, especially in an age group where psychological and financial maturity is still in the making.

Friends and social networks: catalysts for gambling among young people

Young people’s choice of gambling platforms is guided by :

• Recommendations from friends (35% of 18-20 year olds),
• Advertising on social networks (22%),
• Advertising on television (13%).

The influence of the peer group remains dominant, making institutional efforts to raise awareness more difficult to achieve. The omnipresence of gambling in the social and digital environment of these young people amplifies their exposure and makes the practice commonplace.

Do we need to rethink regulation?

The fact that almost 2 out of 5 young people play despite the legal ban calls into question the effectiveness of age control measures. Current verification systems appear to be easy to circumvent on certain sites, and non-existent on foreign or illegal platforms. What’s more, the absence of campaigns targeted specifically at 18-20 year-olds leaves a gap that indirect advertising and word-of-mouth are dangerously filling.

What can be done to protect 18-20 year olds?

The report’s conclusions call for more robust solutions:

• Awareness campaigns on the risks of gambling before the age of 21, adapted to the language and channels of young people (TikTok, Instagram, etc.),
• Stricter supervision of influencers and disguised advertising,
• Stricter monitoring of illegal operators active on the Belgian market.