The rise of online sports betting, its fallout, and the onset of a new profile in gambling disorder: young people

Abstract

Hypothesis: Since 2015 the gambling trend may have changed among young people between 18 and 30 years old.

Methodology: Range of document review techniques obtained by therapeutic data regarding the personal development of each person in rehabilitation to analyze 13 different variables.

Findings: Due to the new regulations legalizing online gambling in Spain, and the constant increase in its advertising, a shift could have taken place in the gamblers' profile: a preference for online sports betting and placing other bets using devices connected to the Internet, such as smartphones, laptops, tablets, and similar technologies. Gamblers who use online media to place their bets also incur debts over the Internet. We find a possible proliferation of online betting services, that could imply an increase of social, psychological, and family relationship problems affecting young gamblers, which may constitute a new profile of gambling disorder.

Keywords: Youth; gambling disorder; psychological problems; social problems.