Slovakian gambling regulator launches programme aimed at generation Z and alpha
The URHH aims to protect younger audiences from gambling-related risks.
Slovakia.- The Slovakian gambling regulator URHH has launched a new initiative aimed at safeguarding younger generations from gambling-related risks. Its Safer Digital Future programme seeks to establish a comprehensive framework to protect Generation Z and Alpha audiences from gambling disorders and harmful behaviours.
The project has been formalised through a memorandum of cooperation with the Department of Digital Games at the Faculty of Mass Media Communication of the University of St Cyril and Methodius in Trnava (FMK UCM). Under this partnership, URHH and the university will collect evidence on how emerging digital products and behaviours affect younger audiences, with particular attention to the overlap between video gaming and gambling. Loot boxes, skin betting and randomised reward systems are among the features identified as blurring the line between the two.
The URHH suggested that modern monetisation models, advanced game design and social media were eroding the traditional boundaries between the two sectors. The regulator warned that repeated exposure to chance-based spending could normalise risk-taking and foster positive attitudes towards gambling among generation Z (14–29 year olds) and alpha (1–13 year olds).
Libuša Baranová, Director General of URHH, emphasised the importance of understanding how younger generations interact with digital environments. “For generations Z and alpha, technology is not just a tool, but a natural environment that shapes their identity, social relationships and worldview,” she said. “They perceive the digital and real world as one interconnected whole. Therefore, if we want to effectively protect the young generation from the risks of the digital age, we need to be one step ahead. We need to know detailed specifics of the gaming industry, video game design and psychological mechanisms that affect young people.”
The Department of Digital Games, which operates Slovakia’s first academic programme dedicated to game studies, will provide expertise to help URHH monitor developments, assess risks and design prevention strategies. The memorandum also establishes a framework for systematic knowledge exchange between researchers and regulators, supporting future studies and youth-focused educational initiatives.
Juliána Mináriková, acting dean at FMK UCM, underlined the influence of digital games on younger audiences. “It is important to understand their mechanics not only from the perspective of design and player experience, but also from the perspective of their possible risks,” she explained. “We see cooperation with the Gambling Regulatory Authority as an opportunity to connect our knowledge of the gaming industry with practical prevention tools and thus contribute to ensuring that young people are able to use the digital environment responsibly.”
Meanwhile, the National Council of Slovakia continues to debate whether to undertake a broader review of the country’s Gambling Act of 2019. Online casino gaming has become the largest vertical in the Slovakian gambling market, prompting suggestions that legislation is out of date and needs reform. A package of amendments submitted by Sports and Tourism Minister Rudolf Huliak last year proposed new controls and licence restrictions but were vetoed by President Peter Pellegrini. The president has indicated, however, that he would support a more comprehensive reform programme focused on consumer protection.
