Youth gambling addiction : practitioners’ perspectives on the impact of gambling addiction on the personal, social, and psychological development of maltese young people

Abstract

Gambling addiction is becoming increasingly common among young people in Malta. The increase can be caused by the ease of accessibility to the internet, which is readily available to young people. Also, there is a significant amount of promotion and advertisements shared on mass media platforms that young people are exposed to. Therefore, given the numerous promotions and advertisements that can lead one to gamble, along with the increasing number of young people in Malta engaging in gambling activities, there is need for further research on the negative consequences of gambling addiction. There is also a need to raise awareness about this addiction, similar to the awareness campaigns made for drug, alcohol and cigarette addiction. This study highlights contingencies that can prompt a young person to start gambling. It also explores the impact of gambling addiction on a young person’s social, personal and psychological development and discusses preventive measures that can be introduced to reduce this addiction. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the seriousness of this addiction in a young person’s life, all from a practitioner’s perspective. Structured interviews were conducted to gather date for this study by asking a set of questions related to the research topic. The interviews were conducted with five practitioners who have experience working with young problematic gamblers, both past and present. The interview data indicate that professionals feel frustration regarding how this addiction is not taken seriously as other addictions here in Malta.