The Dutch Gaming Authority (KSA) has reported a significant rise in gambling activity among young people as they approach the legal age, noting that 11% of accounts established by 18-year-olds were created on their birthdays. This revelation has sparked renewed discussions regarding protections for young adult gamblers.
The KSA's review of 15,761 newly funded gambling accounts revealed that individuals aged 18 to 24 accounted for 33% of these new accounts. Among those, 41% of registrations came from individuals who had just turned 18, while 38% opened their accounts within a month of reaching this age.
Casino games emerged as the preferred form of gambling among young adults; 72% chose this option, whereas only 11% opted for sports betting. In their initial quarter of experience, young adult gamblers averaged four gambling days and placed an average stake of €111 during those sessions.
Additionally, the KSA discovered that exposure to gambling typically begins before individuals reach the legal age. A separate study involving 50 participants aged 16 to 21 found that most individuals first encountered gambling between the ages of 8 and 12. The initial experiences primarily involved scratch cards, lotteries, and informal family bets.
By the age of 12 to 14, gambling often became a social activity, commonly occurring with friends or through informal football pools. One participant noted that underage individuals frequently accessed accounts belonging to older relatives to bypass age restrictions.
These findings come as discussions intensify around the proposal to raise the legal online gambling age in the Netherlands from 18 to 24. Meryam Sümer of the Christian Democratic Party supports this initiative, while the KSA cautions that more stringent age requirements could drive young adults to unlicensed gambling sites.
