BAGO, the organization representing private gambling operators in Belgium, has requested that the minimum age to participate in lottery games be increased to 21 years.
The proposal comes despite a recent 2023 report, carried out by the Center for Specialization on Alcohol and Other Drugs, which showed a drop in youth participation rates in gambling.
The study analyzed the behavior of young Belgians, defined as those aged 21 and under, in relation to gambling, drug and alcohol use, and time spent on social media during the 2022-23 period.
The results indicate a continued decline in gambling participation rates among young people, with scratch cards being the most popular form of gambling, followed by sports betting and lotteries.
Drop in participation rates
According to the report, the rate of young people playing scratch cards was 9.7% in 2022-23, the lowest on record. Participation in lotteries also fell, with just 5.3% of young people reporting having played, while poker had a rate of just 2.3%.
Sports betting, although still popular, also saw a slight reduction, going from 12.5% in 2022 to 12.4% in 2023. Casino games, in turn, fell from 5.5% to 5.3% in same period.
Despite this decrease, BAGO believes that the participation rate among young people is still worrying, especially in the case of the lottery. The organization considers it inappropriate for the minimum age to participate in lottery games to remain at 18, while other forms of gambling games require participants to be 21 years old.
Another relevant point in the report was the confusion among young people about the minimum age allowed to participate in betting games in Belgium. Only 77.6% of respondents knew that the minimum age to buy and play scratch cards was 18 years old. On September 1, 2023, Belgium increased the minimum age to 21 for all gambling activities except the national lottery.
BAGO took a stance against this exception, stating: “We consider it illogical that the increase in the minimum age to 21 does not apply to all National Lottery products and therefore we request equal protection for young people.”
The organization also highlighted that, in addition to control and equal treatment, prevention is essential to keep young people away from gambling.
Gender differences and behavior related to gambling in Belgium
The report also highlighted differences in behavior between men and women. In general, men showed greater participation in sports betting, poker, lotteries and casino games.
However, women outperformed men in terms of participating in scratch card games. In the last year, 9.8% of young women reported playing scratch cards, compared to 9.6% of men.
In the long term, 29% of young women said they had played scratch cards at some point in their lives, while 25.4% of young men reported the same. On the other hand, sports betting was more popular among men, with 16.6% of men reporting having placed a bet, compared to just 8.0% of women.
An alarming fact revealed by the study was the rate of participation of minors in scratch card games.
Around 10.1% of young people aged between 12 and 14 reported having played scratch cards in the last year, a higher rate than that observed in older age groups.
When asked if they had ever played scratch cards at some point in their lives, this number rose to 27.9%. These data reinforce the need for more rigorous preventive measures.
The aim is to protect young people, especially minors, from engaging in gambling activities. BAGO continues to advocate for raising the minimum age to 21 for all forms of gambling, including the national lottery.
