The data comes from a survey conducted by Unicef Argentina and the Digital Wellbeing organization. Additionally, just over half do it to earn money, while 3 out of 10 do it for fun.
Argentina.- 80 percent of teenagers and young people have accessed or know someone who has gambled online in the last year. Of them, 37 percent frequently enter apps or virtual casinos every day or very often. The data comes from a survey conducted by Unicef Argentina and the Digital Wellbeing organization involving about 600 teenagers and young people, between June 27 and August 5, 2024.
According to data published by Unicef, more than 7 out of 10 respondents know some website or online betting app. This figure is even higher among teenagers, where it reaches 95 percent. There is almost no difference in knowledge between genders: 76 percent of males and 72 percent of females are familiar with these platforms. The most mentioned brands by the respondents include Casino, Betsson, Bet365, bplay, and Betano.
In many cases, teenagers bet directly on the website. In others, there are kids who act as intermediaries or “cashiers.” These modern “cashiers” collect money in schools, clubs, and in turn allocate it to betting sites for which they receive a commission. In this regard, the survey showed that 42 percent access directly, while 30 percent do so through a cashier or another person.
Regarding motivations, just over half of the respondents stated that they do it mainly to earn money, while 3 out of 10 do it for fun or entertainment.
Additionally, 9 percent think about betting online every day, while 17 percent do it very often and 38 percent sometimes. Only 36 percent never think about betting online.
The Unicef survey revealed that boys and girls feel more exposed to online betting brands through internet advertising (35 percent) and through social media influencers (27 percent). Presence at sporting events is also mentioned (14 percent).
Teenagers are aware of the risk. In the Unicef survey, more than 7 out of 10 said that online betting can lead to gambling addiction problems or difficulties in stopping betting. Half know someone of their same age who has suffered consequences due to online betting. Among the main ones: losing a lot of money (21 percent), lying to the family (10 percent), or stealing (6 percent).
