French study warns video games may be gateway to teen gambling
New research suggests gambling-style game mechanics may be introducing young people to higher-risk betting behaviours before they reach legal gambling age.
Key takeaways:
- ARPEJ and France’s ANJ surveyed 5,000 teenagers aged 15-17 about participation in hybrid digital games.
- Thirty-nine per cent of respondents had played a hybrid digital game in the previous three months, while 15.6% had made a related purchase.
- Researchers found that two-thirds of minors engaged with hybrid casino-style games before participating in real-money gambling.
- Teenagers using both gambling products and hybrid games recorded a 26% gambling-risk severity score, compared with 3.9% among those using only traditional gambling products.
- Nearly 69% of participants reported seeing advertising for real-money gambling while playing hybrid games, mainly through social media platforms.
A new French study has intensified concerns about the growing overlap between video gaming and gambling, finding evidence that gambling-style mechanics embedded in popular games may be shaping how teenagers engage with risk-based activities. The research adds to a broader European regulatory debate around loot boxes, social casino games and in-game monetisation systems, as policymakers assess whether existing consumer protection rules are keeping pace with evolving digital entertainment products. With blockbuster titles such as Grand Theft Auto VI set to attract millions of young players, the findings are likely to increase scrutiny of gambling-adjacent features across the gaming sector.
France.- France.- A new study from France’s Association for Research and Prevention of Excessive Gambling (ARPEJ) has raised concerns that video games are increasingly encouraging behaviours among French teenagers that resemble excessive or problematic gambling, as mechanics commonly associated with real-money wagering become more widespread across gaming formats.
Published in partnership with France’s gambling regulator, the Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), the research surveyed 5,000 teenagers aged 15 to 17 on their participation in so-called “hybrid digital games” (jeux numériques hybrides, or JNH). These titles incorporate features that can be considered gambling adjacent, including gamification and gamblification mechanics.
The category covers a broad range of games. It includes social casino products that imitate slot machines and table games while using virtual currencies such as CrownCoins or McLuck, as well as mainstream video games that contain gambling-like elements as a secondary activity. ARPEJ highlighted titles such as the Grand Theft Auto series, where players can visit in-game casinos, alongside games featuring randomised reward systems, including EA Sports FC Ultimate Team and Genshin Impact. Fantasy sports platforms such as Mon Petit Gazon and Fungiball were also included within the study’s scope.
According to the survey, 39 per cent of respondents had played a hybrid digital game during the previous three months. Participation was higher among boys, at 42.4 per cent, compared with 35.4 per cent among girls. The study also found that 15.6 per cent of respondents had made a financial transaction linked to these games.
ARPEJ said its findings indicate that hybrid gaming products may act as an introduction to gambling behaviours. The organisation noted that “two thirds of the minors say they took part in JNH – and, more specifically, hybrid casino games – before engaging in real-money gambling”.
The researchers argued that the findings point to a potential “gateway effect”, with young people becoming familiar with gambling mechanics before moving on to real-money products.
Although most of these games can be played without payment, ARPEJ said they frequently include systems designed to encourage spending through microtransactions that allow users to progress faster or obtain in-game advantages. The report further found that almost 69 per cent of participants had encountered advertising while playing hybrid games that encouraged betting on real-money gambling products, primarily through social media platforms including TikTok and Instagram.
The latest findings follow ARPEJ research released in February, which found that nearly 43 per cent of French teenagers had participated in a real-money game of chance during the previous 12 months, typically through retail scratchcards or draw-based games. That represented an increase of eight percentage points compared with 2021.
Using the Canadian Adolescent Gambling Inventory (CAGI), a tool designed to measure gambling-related risk behaviours, the study identified a significant difference in risk profiles between different groups of players. Teenagers who engaged with both traditional gambling products and hybrid digital games recorded a severity score of 26 per cent, compared with 3.9 per cent among those who participated only in traditional gambling activities.
The report also highlighted broader wellbeing concerns, suggesting that issues such as sleep disruption, stress and difficulties with mood regulation may be influencing gaming habits and contributing to movement towards higher-risk forms of engagement.
France’s ANJ is currently one of three European gambling regulators involved in a dedicated research initiative examining the relationship between video gaming and gambling among young people, alongside authorities in Sweden and Denmark.
The regulatory landscape remains fragmented across the European Union, with no common legal framework in place to determine whether loot boxes should be classified and regulated as gambling products. As a result, decisions continue to be made at the national level. Belgium has classified paid loot boxes as illegal gambling while the Netherlands has also introduced restrictions for certain mechanics. The UK has opted to allow self-regulation via an industry code, which recommends restricting loot boxes to over 18s.
That uncertainty has led to a number of legal disputes. In the Netherlands, Electronic Arts successfully challenged enforcement penalties relating to FIFA loot boxes worth up to €10m. The sanctions were overturned by a court in The Hague in 2022.
FAQs
What are hybrid digital games?
Hybrid digital games are video games that include elements associated with gambling, such as casino-style gameplay, loot boxes, randomised rewards, fantasy sports mechanics or other systems that encourage risk-based participation and spending.
How many French teenagers play hybrid digital games?
The study found that 39% of surveyed teenagers aged 15 to 17 had played a hybrid digital game during the previous three months. Participation was higher among boys than girls.
Does the study suggest video games lead to gambling?
The researchers say the findings point to a potential “gateway effect.” Two-thirds of minors reported engaging with hybrid casino-style games before participating in real-money gambling activities.
Which games were highlighted in the research?
The study referenced social casino products as well as mainstream games featuring gambling-like mechanics, including Grand Theft Auto, EA Sports FC Ultimate Team and Genshin Impact. Fantasy sports platforms were also included.
Why are regulators concerned about loot boxes and similar features?
European regulators are examining whether gambling-like mechanics expose young people to betting behaviours before they can legally gamble. However, there is still no common EU-wide framework determining whether loot boxes should be regulated as gambling products.
