A recent study indicates that 42.6% of minors aged 15-17 in France have engaged in gambling activities over the past year, highlighting a significant increase in participation among this age group.
The Association for Research and Prevention of Gambling Excesses (ARPEJ) and the National Gaming Authority (ANJ) have raised concerns regarding the rising trend of gambling among minors in France. A survey conducted in late summer 2025 among 5,000 adolescents aged 15 to 17 revealed that 42.6% of respondents reported having participated in gambling activities at least once in the previous twelve months, marking an almost 8-point increase from the previous survey conducted in 2021, where the figure stood at 34.8%.
The data indicates a notable disparity between genders, with gambling behavior being more prevalent among boys (45.5%) compared to girls (39.6%). The types of gambling most commonly engaged in by these minors include scratch cards and lottery tickets, which are frequently purchased at physical retail outlets, often at the behest of their parents. This trend raises significant concerns about the accessibility of gambling to young people and the potential long-term impacts on their well-being and financial literacy.
Given the increasing prevalence of gambling among minors, preventive measures and public awareness campaigns may be necessary to address the issue. The growing involvement of youth in gambling highlights the need for regulatory interventions to ensure the protection of minors from harmful gambling practices, fostering a conversation on responsible gaming and the role of parental supervision in the gambling activities of their children.
