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Full citation
Richard, J., & King, S. M. (2023). Annual Research Review: Emergence of problem gambling from childhood to emerging adulthood: A systematic review. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 64(4), 645–688. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13713
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Region & Target Population
- Region: Global (North America, Europe, Oceania, and other regions).
- Target population: Children, adolescents, and emerging adults up to age 25.
Study Design
- Narrative systematic review of empirical studies.
- Focus on gambling-like activities (loot boxes, social casino games, gambling-themed gaming) and novel gambling forms (online sports betting, esports betting, fantasy sports).
Sample Characteristics
- 45 empirical studies included.
- Populations: community samples of youth (school, online, household surveys).
- Age range: predominantly 12–25, some samples including children as young as approximately 7 years.
Data Coverage & Timeframe
- Six databases (PsycINFO, MEDLINE, PubMed, Social Work Abstracts, Technology Collection, Scopus) were searched in November 2021.
- Included studies mostly published from the early 2000s to early 2020s, capturing the expansion of online gambling and gambling-like game mechanics.
Research Question
How do gambling-like digital activities and novel online gambling forms contribute to the developmental trajectory from early exposure to gambling to problem gambling among children, adolescents, and emerging adults?
Key Findings
- New digital and gambling-like activities increase risk: Things like loot boxes, social casino games, gambling-themed video games, online sports betting, fantasy sports, and esports betting are all linked to higher levels of problem gambling symptoms.
- Young men are at higher risk: Males are more likely to take part in these activities and are more likely to meet criteria for problem gambling.
- Psychology explains much of the risk: Traits like impulsivity and risk-taking, along with cognitive distortions and emotional coping motives, consistently predict greater gambling harm.
Study Conclusion
The review concludes that gambling-like digital activities and new online gambling products are not marginal or harmless in young people’s leisure time. Across diverse settings, engagement with loot boxes, social casino games, and online betting correlates robustly with higher levels of problem gambling, particularly among adolescent and emerging-adult males. These activities intersect with key psychological vulnerabilities such as impulsivity, cognitive distortions, and emotional distress, suggesting that they can serve as developmental gateways that normalize gambling, blur boundaries between play and wagering, and accelerate progression toward harmful involvement. At the same time, the predominance of cross-sectional studies means that directionality and causality remain under-tested, and the authors call for more rigorous longitudinal work.
Overall, the review frames gambling-like mechanics in games and novel online betting as critical targets for regulation, prevention, and consumer protection in youth populations rather than trivial entertainment features.
