Norwegian Study Reveals Strong Link Between Problem Gaming and Teen Gambling Risk

A comprehensive new study from Norway has revealed that young people exhibiting symptoms of gaming problems are significantly more likely to engage in gambling, with the trend being particularly pronounced among girls.

The findings come amid a doubling of gaming disorder rates among Norwegian youth over the past 15 years.

The nationwide survey was conducted by the University of Bergen’s Norwegian Competence Center for Gaming and Gambling Research (SPILLFORSK) and commissioned by the Norwegian Gambling Authority. Researchers surveyed 8,793 students aged 12 to 17 across 93 schools throughout the country.

According to the study, nearly all boys surveyed (97%) and over four in five girls (81%) reported playing computer games in the last six months. Using the Game Addiction Scale for Adolescents, the researchers found that 13 percent of respondents met the criteria for problem gaming, while 2 percent qualified for gaming addiction—figures roughly twice as high as those recorded in a similar national study conducted in 2010.

The report noted, “the more involved a person was in computer games (from non-gambling to addicted), the greater the likelihood of participating in gambling, especially for girls.”

Gambling Decline, but Riskier Behavior Rising

While gambling among Norwegian adolescents has fallen sharply since 2010—from 64 percent to 19 percent—the study found that those who do gamble are increasingly drawn to higher-risk forms of play, including online casinos, sports betting, and poker.

Around 7.1 percent of those surveyed met the criteria for a gambling problem, compared with about 12 percent in 2010. However, the data revealed a consistent pattern: the more severe a teen’s gaming issues, the more likely they were to gamble—and to experience gambling-related harms.

This connection was especially evident among girls, whose gambling problems appeared to rise in direct proportion to the severity of their gaming problems. For boys, the same pattern did not appear until the ages of 15 to 17, suggesting that older male teens with gaming issues are more inclined to gamble than their younger peers.

Across both genders, factors such as poor health, smoking, alcohol consumption, bullying, and low socioeconomic status were all linked to gambling problems. Notably, parental monitoring appeared to have a protective effect against gambling risks for both boys and girls.

Loot Boxes, Skin Betting, and the “Grey Zone”

The study also explored how gaming features such as loot boxes, skin purchases, and simulated gambling—classified in the report as “grey-zone” activities—can serve as potential gateways to real gambling.

Approximately 45 percent of respondents reported having played simulated gambling games, which mimic gambling but do not involve real money. Professor Ståle Pallesen of the University of Bergen, who led the research, said, “Through simulated gambling, young people are socialized into gambling, they learn the technical skills, but they learn a distorted reality where it is easy to win. It is clearly problematic when these young people get older and are exposed to other gambling games.”

Nearly 28 percent of participants said they had purchased loot boxes in the past year. The study defines loot boxes as “virtual wonder packages sold in video games,” which may contain in-game benefits or cosmetic skins and can be purchased using real or in-game currency. Young people who bought loot boxes were found to gamble more frequently and had higher rates of both gaming and gambling problems than those who did not.

The issue has become so prevalent that Spain recently launched a nationwide campaign warning of the gambling risks associated with loot boxes and other chance-based gaming features.

Researchers observed a similar pattern with “skin betting,” where players wager cosmetic in-game items that can hold real-world value. One in six high school students said they had engaged in skin betting.

According to SPILLFORSK, these findings highlight the existence of a “grey zone” between gaming and gambling, where gambling-like mechanics are integrated into non-gambling games, potentially normalizing risk-taking behavior among minors.

Atle Hamar, Director of the Lottery and Foundations Authority, reacted to the report, stating, “It is serious that activities that mimic gambling, such as loot boxes and skin betting, are a gateway to gambling. We are very concerned that this could lead to more young people developing gambling problems.”

Gender Differences and Contributing Factors

The research underscored stark gender differences in gaming and gambling habits. While gaming remains a predominantly male activity, the study found that girl gamers—especially those exhibiting problem gaming—are proportionally more likely to develop gambling issues than their male counterparts.

Several factors appear to contribute to this divide. For girls, psychological distress, bullying, and lower socioeconomic status were linked to both gaming and gambling problems. Among boys, risk factors included energy-drink consumption, alcohol use, and higher levels of physical activity. Loneliness emerged as a shared factor across genders but was found to have a stronger connection to gambling risks for boys.

The report also revealed that more than 80 percent of respondents had seen gaming advertisements within the previous month, while 71 percent had seen gambling ads—despite Norway’s restrictions on gambling marketing.

Although gambling participation among Norwegian teens has fallen sharply overall, those who do gamble are increasingly participating in high-risk online activities such as internet poker and online casino games.

“It is worrying that young people in this age group are playing these types of games as they are considered to have high addictive potential and therefore have an 18-year age limit,” said Hamar.

As European countries continue to grapple with the growing issue of online gambling addiction among young people, Norway’s findings add an important perspective to the broader discussion about how gaming and gambling intersect in the digital age.

By fLEXI tEAM