- Funding Programme
- Year
- 2024
Healthier Youth - Addressing the risks of online gambling and gaming
The European Commission will support national authorities from Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Hungary, Italy, Malta, Poland, Portugal and Slovenia in enhancing their responses to online gambling and gaming among children and youth. It will provide them with scientific information for designing targeted policies, as well as tools and strategies for implementing concrete actions in the prevention, treatment and harm reduction fields, including public awareness actions.
Context
As online gambling and gaming platforms become a popular arena for entertainment and social interaction among children and youth, while acknowledging their place as leisure activities, their potentially harmful impact have been well recognised. This has prompted European countries to step up efforts in providing effective and evidence-informed prevention, treatment and harm reduction services, in collaboration with academia and industry. The project addresses associated risks and harms to safeguard youth mental health, the importance of which was stressed by the European Commission’s 2023 communication on mental health, the 2022 European Strategy for Better Internet for Kids, and the Council of Europe Strategy for the Rights of the Child (2022-2027). This multi-country project is funded by the European Union via the Technical Support Instrument, and implemented by the Council of Europe, in cooperation with the European Commission.
Support Delivered
The main deliverables covered by the project are:
- a situation analysis of the current responses in Europe and globally, gaps and costs of interventions.
- a report reviewing international good practices related to prevention, treatment and harm reduction.
- a common toolbox of interventions created based on discussions with stakeholders and intervention testing.
- tailor-made expert advice for the review of national strategic document according to the countries’ requests.
- a blueprint communication strategy adapted to the different target groups and stakeholders.
peer to peer exchanges among the 9 beneficiary authorities and international exchanges with other countries to learn from each other’s experience and expertise.
Expected results
This 2-year project aims to reduce the risks and harms related to online gambling and gaming among children and youth, contributing to their wellbeing and improved mental health. As a result of this project, authorities of the beneficiary countries should have the necessary information to design related policies, the necessary tools and strategies to implement actions and increased capacity to raise awareness among children, youth and their parents on this topic.
Addressing online gambling and gaming will contribute to identifying actions regarding other Internet use-related risks particularly relevant for the young generation and promoting a coordinated approach in a digital Europe.