The head of the government-appointed body tasked with advocating responsible gambling has stressed the need for more research and safeguards after a European report showed rising gambling rates among adolescents.

Last week, a European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) report revealed that the proportion of 15 and 16-year-olds who had gambled in the preceding 12 months had reached 16% by last year, an increase of around one sixth compared to 2019.

Responsible Gaming Foundation (RGF) general manager Kevin O’Neill said the findings “raise clear concerns about adolescent gambling” noting that despite age restrictions, “minors are still accessing gambling, likely online, and a growing number are showing signs of harm”.

“What’s particularly worrying is the increasing prevalence among girls and the lack of data on the specific types of gambling they’re engaging in,” he said, referencing EUDA data showing girls were more likely to have gambled than boys.

Data from the study revealed that almost one-fifth (18%) of girls had gambled in the preceding 12 months compared to 13% of boys.

“We urgently need more detailed, local research and stronger safeguards to address this emerging risk,” said O’Neill.

The RGF chief said the report had prompted the foundation to review its youth-focused outreach and educational initiatives and that it was exploring the feasibility of a “Malta-specific study to better understand adolescent gambling behaviours in the local context”.

Calling Malta’s legal framework for gambling “among the most robust”, O’Neill said adolescents could be accessing gambling through “unregulated offshore online platforms, peer accounts on regulated platforms, social gatherings or other unconventional means”.

He noted that information about the types of gambling preferred by adolescents and how it was accessed was not available in the report, however.

‘Skin gambling’ threat

While the EUDA report did not specify the types of gambling engaged in by minors, recent years have seen the emergence of so-called ‘skin gambling’ among adolescent computer gaming communities across the world.

Referencing in-game items featuring custom cosmetic features, or “skins”, the practice has seen teenagers wager such items in games of chance online. Such items can then be sold to other players for real-world or digital currencies. Some gaming platforms restrict the practice, however.

O’Neill added that Malta’s “strong performance in preventative education” – with participation rates in courses to improve personal skills among the highest – was a “solid base” for expanding education and awareness of gambling.

Some 2,800 teenagers in Malta took part in the EUDA survey.

Unregulated gambling sites

Echoing O’Neill’s concerns, a spokesperson for the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) said “any indication of underage engagement in gambling activity is a matter of concern”.

She called the report a “timely reminder of the need to reinforce preventative measures and targeted educational initiatives” while noting the “clear value” in developing programmes focused on factors like financial literacy, which could make minors gambling less likely.

“Equally critical is the continued emphasis on raising awareness of the risks posed by unregulated online gambling markets”, the spokesperson said, stressing such platforms presented “significant risks”.

Such websites “do not implement age verification protocols and are not subject to compliance checks. In effect, there are no safeguards in place,” she said.

While stressing that Maltese law prohibits minors from any form of gambling – “including at informal or community-based events” – the MGA did not have visibility on unlicensed gambling operations.

“For this reason, public education remains a vital pillar of our strategy,” she said. “Raising awareness on the dangers of unregulated gambling and promoting the use of parental controls, monitoring tools, and relevant software solutions are key components in mitigating these risks.”