The expert took part this Thursday in Zaragoza in the 9th Conference on the Prevention of Gambling organised by Azajer. There, he called for betting and gambling addiction to be addressed from a public health perspective. “Gambling is a source of harm or a risk factor for the health of the population,” he maintains, stressing that its consequences do not affect only those who develop an addiction.
According to Perales, one of the key factors lies in the design of the games themselves. “Not all products are the same,” he says. Slot machines, casino games and sports betting share some of the characteristics that increase the risk of developing problems. “The addictive nature of gambling makes it potentially harmful,” the professor points out.
ONLINE SPORTS BETTING, ROULETTES AND SLOT MACHINES AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE
The generational shift has also transformed the games behind the cases that reach treatment services. “We are now seeing a profile with a greater preference for online gambling,” Perales explains. Among young people, sports betting, casinos, roulette and online slot machines stand out in particular—products that are causing concern because they are reaching people at increasingly younger ages.
The internet also adds an element that multiplies the risk. Games that once required people to travel to an establishment are now constantly within users’ reach. Perales warns that their online availability introduces “another risk factor linked to these products being available practically 24 hours a day,” facilitating immediate and continuous access to gambling.
Despite the growth of online betting, the expert stresses that slot machines continue to account for a significant share of people with gambling problems. “They remain a particularly dangerous and particularly harmful product,” he says. Their impact continues to be greater among older gamblers, while digital gambling is gaining prominence among those who reach specialised services at a younger age.
Perales also warns that the problem is greater than the figures for people diagnosed with gambling addiction suggest. “There is a very large percentage of the population who, despite having gambling problems, do not yet strictly meet the criteria for addiction.” Although the individual harm may be less severe, he argues that this group is much larger and has a significant overall impact on social and healthcare services.
