Welcome to the Global Research Hub on Gambling in Emerging Adults
Emerging adulthood is one of the most dynamic and complicated periods of life. It is a time of exploration, independence, identity-building and increasingly, a time shaped by rapid digital change. As smartphones, online gaming, sports betting, and social media blend into everyday life, young adults across the world are encountering gambling in ways no previous generation has.
This hub brings together the most important research from around the world to help you understand how and why gambling has become so woven into the lives of 18–25-year-olds and what we can do about it.
Across different sections, we explore not just the “numbers,” but the stories behind the numbers: the psychological mechanisms, cultural forces, digital designs, inequalities, and policy decisions that shape young people’s experiences.
Each section answers a different part of the bigger question:
Why does gambling look the way it does for today’s emerging adults?
Explore the Research Hub
Gambling in Young Adults Aged 17–24 Years: A Population-Based Study (Hollén et al., 2020)
Where Lies the Harm in Lottery Gambling? (Costes et al., 2018)
Gambling Among Adolescents and Emerging Adults: A Cross-Cultural Study (Calado et al., 2018)
Problem Gambling and Psychological Distress: A Cross-National Perspective (Oksanen et al., 2018)
Forms of Gambling, Gambling Involvement and Problem Gambling: Evidence from a Swedish Population Survey (Binde, Romild, & Volberg, 2017)
Gambling Behavior Among Macau College and University Students (Kam et al., 2017)
The Interaction Between Gambling Activities and Modes of Access: A Comparison of Internet-Only, Land-Based-Only, and Mixed-Mode Gamblers (Gainsbury et al., 2015)
Distinguishing Between Gaming and Gambling Activities in Addiction Research (King et al., 2015)
Gambling in 23 Low-, Middle-, and Emerging-Economy Countries (Peltzer & Pengpid, 2014)
National Gambling Prevalence (Williams, Volberg & Stevens, 2012)
Emerging adults and college students face increased risk of gambling, especially online. Social, emotional, and financial factors raise their vulnerability. Help us understand this issue by sharing the survey.
This pop-up contains legal information about this website.
This content is the property of the World Lottery Association (WLA). It may not be transferred
from the custody or control of the WLA except as authorized in writing by an officer of the WLA.
Neither this document, nor the information it contains, may be used, transferred, reproduced,
published, or disclosed, in whole or in part, either directly or indirectly, except as expressly
authorized by an officer of the WLA, pursuant to written agreement.
The WLA Website has been designed to provide information to the lottery community. The World Lottery Association has used great efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date information. However, WLA excludes any warranty, whether express or implied, for any information provided under these pages. WLA cannot be held responsible for any action taken that is based on the information hereunder.
The WLA Website also contains third party information. Such information is, wherever practically possible, marked with the name of the source and does not necessarily represent the opinion of the World Lottery Association. WLA does not take any responsibility whatsoever for such third party information.
The WLA Website also contains links to other Internet sites. WLA does not have any knowledge of the information contained in such other sites, nor has WLA been able to include such other sites in its efforts to provide accurate information. WLA therefore does not take any responsibility whatsoever for such third party information.
All rights reserved except where indicated.
Website owner
‍World Lottery Association
Avenue de Provence 14
Case postale 1013
1001 Lausanne
Switzerland
Responsible for content
Luca Esposito – WLA Executive Director
Technical implementation
Web design, consulting and support:
Kvalifik
Skindergade 45, 1,
1159 København K
Denmark
+45 23 90 70 60
[email protected]