Four Million Young Thais Hooked on Online Gambling
Experts have sounded the alarm about the growing number of young Thai people involved in online gambling activities, which could lead to addiction and have severe consequences on their wellbeing.
More than one million Thai youths aged 15-18 gambled in 2023, marking a rise of 231,000 from 2021.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:Pongthep Wongwatcharapaiboon, Director of the ThaiHealth Promotion Foundation, issued the warning during the 2024 Centre for Gambling Studies conference in Bangkok’s Samyan area. He stated that online gambling has ensnared more than four million young Thais.
According to Dr Pongthep, the allure of online gambling is further exacerbated by the proliferation of online gambling platforms, frequently promoted by social media influencers.
Additionally, Dr Pongthep highlighted the dangers of online gambling, warning that it can lead to the development of harmful habits and even addiction - a serious mental health condition similar to substance abuse. If left unchecked, he cautioned, this can have severe repercussions for individuals, families, communities, and Thai society as a whole.
He further explained that ThaiHealth has tackled gambling-related issues since 2010 through awareness campaigns, youth empowerment programs, and policy advocacy.
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Social Pressures Drive Gambling
At the conference, Nualnoi Trirat, Director of the Centre for Gambling Studies (CGS), presented key findings from a survey conducted by the Research Centre for Social and Business Development in 2023.
According to the survey, which featured 7,131 respondents aged 15 and above across 24 provinces, 99.3% of Thais know someone who gambles.
21% of children and 26% of teenagers admit to feeling pressured to gamble due to social influences. Furthermore, more than one million youths aged 15-18 gambled in 2023, marking a rise of 231,000 from 2021.
3.92 million individuals aged 19-25 and 4.47 million senior citizens over 60 gambled in the past year, up by 400,000 gamblers compared to 2021. Moreover, 7.45 million gamblers reported experiencing severe consequences, including financial instability, mental health issues, and interpersonal conflicts, as a direct result of their gambling habits.
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