Abstract
Gambling is occurring in a rapidly changing landscape, with new trends and technologies affecting gambling behaviour and problem gambling across a range of populations. Gambling activity among adolescents and young people has received considerable research attention due to a high prevalence of gambling reported among these groups in recent years. Despite legislation worldwide to constrain gambling among adolescents and young people, modern technology, such as online gaming apps and online gambling venues, has significantly increased their exposure to the risks of problem gambling. It is important, therefore, to have up to date information about what is currently known about gambling and to explore gaps in our knowledge. This gap analysis presents the results of a systematic approach to reviewing the current literature on gambling behaviour, attitudes, and associated risk factors for gambling and problem gambling among adolescents and young adults (aged 10–25 years). The review included studies published between January 2015 and August 2020 and included 85 studies for final synthesis. Findings reveal further research is needed on the implications for young people of emerging technologies and new trends in gambling in the digital age. The current gap analysis reveals that this should include more research on the development and impact of both treatment and intervention strategies, and policy and regulatory frameworks from a public health perspective.
Highlights
Published: 22 January 2021Gambling activity among adolescents and young people has received considerable research attention due to a high prevalence of gambling reported among these groups in recent years
We identified 85 articles on gambling among adolescents and young adults comprised of two experimental, one pre-post, five longitudinal, and 68 cross-sectional studies, along with one commentary and six literature review articles
This review demonstrates the breadth of focus in the gambling literature identified since 2015, reflected in the proliferation of cross-sectional research
Summary
Gambling activity among adolescents and young people (under 25 years) has received considerable research attention due to a high prevalence of gambling reported among these groups in recent years. A recent systematic review reported that 0.2 to 12.3% of youth met criteria for problem gambling [1], with some researchers predicting the prevalence of problem gambling among adolescents may be comparable to that of adult populations [2]. Despite legislation worldwide to constrain gambling among adolescents and young people, modern technology, such as online gaming apps and online gambling venues, have significantly increased their exposure to the risks of problem gambling [3]. Rasanen et al [7] reported that as many as 50–80% of Nordic adolescents gambled in the past year, despite it being illegal to gamble in most Nordic countries before the age of 18
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