Belgium has raised the gambling age from 18 to 21, sparking a global debate, primarily over concerns about addiction to gambling and sports betting.
This move sets Belgium apart from other EU countries such as Sweden, Germany, Finland, and Austria, where the gambling age is 18.
Miranda Raaff, the iGaming Insights Director at the casino resource portal Minimum Deposit Casinos (MDC), points out significant discrepancies in age restrictions for activities such as driving, smoking, drinking, sports betting, and viewing adult content.
If Belgian legislators believe that 21 is the appropriate age for gambling, should the same age limit not apply to all high-risk activities such as drinking, smoking, driving, and viewing pornographic content? Singling out sports betting, while being lenient (if not more dangerous) towards other behaviors, seems somewhat arbitrary. Perhaps the same logic should be applied to all these activities. Clearly, in most countries, people are allowed to view pornographic content at the age of 18. Thus, despite the dangers of the internet, this is still recognized as a level of maturity.
Alcohol poses significant health risks. Driving requires more responsibility and can be life-threatening; yet, people can drive at 18. In some countries, even younger individuals are allowed to drive.
In other words, addiction is not limited to gambling; alcohol, smoking, and pornography can also lead to addiction.
In Raaff's view, allowing 18-year-olds to drive, smoke, drink, view pornographic content, or 21-year-olds to gamble and engage in sports betting, makes no sense.
Thus, Belgium's ruling raises an important question: how young people perceive maturity. Undoubtedly, the debate on this topic has just begun.
