The right to psychological health is a fundamental human right that encompasses prevention, promotion, and care of psychological well-being. It is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (United Nations General Assembly, 1948) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (United Nations, 1989). Therefore, it is essential to prioritise the prevention of psychological health issues, particularly among younger segments of the population.

One behaviour which, when engaged excessively, can pose a serious threat to the psychological health of young people is problematic gambling. Gambling is a form of entertainment in which a sum of money or an item of value is wagered on the outcome of an uncertain event to win a prize—usually more money or goods (Clark, 2010). Any activity involving an element of uncertainty can become the subject of a wager and is thus susceptible to gambling behaviour.

Activities classified as gambling typically share the characteristic of relying more heavily on chance (alea) than on personal skill or strategy (agon) (Callois, 1981). The defining psychological feature of gambling is that the individual places a bet while expecting the outcome of an uncertain event and assumes a risk, even though the result is entirely or predominantly based on chance and, as such, only partially—or not at all—dependent on personal ability.

When gambling is carried out too frequently, it can become problematic, leading to a wide range of difficulties, such as impaired family and social relationships, excessive preoccupation with gambling, and lying about one’s gambling behaviour (Ferris & Wynne, 2001; Griffiths et al., 2009). Longitudinal studies have demonstrated that problematic gambling behaviour during adolescence is significantly associated with an increased likelihood of developing Gambling Disorder in adulthood (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – Fifth Edition, American Psychiatric Association, APA, 2013; Allami et al., 2018; Carbonneau et al., 2015; Delfabbro et al., 2014).

Although gambling is prohibited for minors in Italy (Decree-Law 6 July 2011, No. 98, paragraph 20), the proliferation of diverse forms of land-based and online gambling and the rapid rise in accessibility have made gambling for money a widespread behaviour among young people.

The most recent ESPAD (European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs) study, conducted in 2019 across 35 European countries, found that 22% of the 96,783 adolescents aged between 15 and 19 had participated in at least one form of gambling in the previous twelve months (Institute of Clinical Physiology – National Research Council, IFC-CNR, 2019). Italy ranked third among the countries surveyed, with 32% of adolescents reporting gambling at least once in the past year.

This trend was confirmed by the 2022 ESPAD report, which showed that 51% of the 12,406 Italian adolescents aged 15 to 19 had gambled at least once in the previous twelve months. Other research data indicate that approximately 34% of adolescents gamble regularly (weekly or daily), with around 6% displaying problematic gambling behaviour (APA, 2013), and about 19% showing gambling behaviour that is at risk of becoming problematic (Donati et al., 2018).

This situation highlights the pressing need to implement prevention programmes tailored to this age group. According to best-practice guidelines in prevention (Flay et al., 2005), it is crucial to disseminate ecologically valid interventions whose effectiveness has been previously confirmed through experimental studies. Furthermore, guidelines for gambling prevention among young people indicate that school settings are particularly suitable for implementing preventive initiatives and that trained and specialised professionals are the most effective figures for delivering them successfully (Keen et al., 2017).

In light of these considerations, within the framework of the 2018 Gambling Prevention Plan of the Tuscany Region, the “PRIZE – Prevention of Risks Associated with Adolescent Gambling” project was launched (Resolution of the Regional Council No. 771, 9/07/2018), which was later continued as “PRIZE 2” (Resolution of the Regional Council No. 1489, 30/11/2020).

The prevention project is an evidence-based intervention grounded in a theoretical model and supported by previous experimental verification carried out by the Psychometrics Laboratory of the NEUROFARBA Department (Donati et al., 2014, 2018). The PRIZE initiative was implemented in the 2019/2020 school year, and PRIZE 2 in the 2021/2022, 2022/2023, and 2023/2024 school years.

The project was promoted by the Tuscany Region, with ANCI Toscana acting as the project lead and CEART (Coordination of Accredited Bodies of the Tuscany Region) as the implementing body, in partnership with the NEUROFARBA Department. The three regional Health Authorities (Tuscany Centre, Tuscany North-West, and Tuscany South-East) also participated as project partners. Collaboration and networking were facilitated through the creation of a Scientific Technical Committee, which included one representative from each participating entity. Additionally, the IFC-CNR in Pisa and the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna of Pisa collaborated on the programme.

The next contribution will provide a more detailed account of the PRIZE project carried out in the Tuscany Region.

References

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