The Danish gambling authority, Spillemyndigheden, has launched a nationwide campaign targeted at people under 18 highlighting the negative consequences of gambling.
The initiative will help promote early intervention, as a recent report from the regulator stated that 15 per cent of young people between the ages of 15-17 have gambled online in the past year.
Data from Spillemyndigheden’s helpline, StopSpillet, also noted that most people with gambling problems gamble for the first time before the age of 25.
Anders Dorph, Director of Spillemyndigheden, commented: “Young people under the age of 18 in Denmark find ways to gamble, for example through friends or family or through online gambling sites without a Danish licence. We know that the younger you are when you make your gambling debut, the more likely you are to develop a gaming problem later on.
“That’s why, for the first time, we’re targeting under-18s directly, and we’re doing it in a new, creative way that turns the whole thing on its head. This is necessary if we are to remind young people of the risks of gambling and, not least, that the house always wins in the long run; gambling is not a way to quick and easy money.”
The campaign features a fictional character called ‘The One-Armed Bandit’ who “serves as an analogy for gambling addiction”.
Through short videos and posts on YouTube and Instagram, the character is followed by viewers, showing “how he scams and cheats his way into luring young people into gambling”.
Directed by comedian Martin Høgsted with ‘The One-Armed Bandit’ played by David Minerba, the initiative is delivered with humour and irony, which is a “strategic choice to get through to young people”.
“The seriousness of gambling addiction must not be downplayed. But that doesn’t mean we should be pointing fingers at the under-18s,” Dorph noted.
“We have chosen a new approach in this effort, where we try to open young people’s eyes through humour and irony on their terms, so we arouse their curiosity, get them engaged and relate to gambling without stigmatising and creating fear.”
‘The One-Armed Bandit’ has their own YouTube and Instagram, while Spillemyndigheden will also activate influencer collaborations to further promote the campaign.
Dorph concluded: “Danish young people are reflective and enlightened, and many are aware of how gambling can get out of hand and develop into gambling addiction, leading to loneliness, debt or other personal challenges.
“But we also know that gambling today is much more of a social activity among young people, who gamble in class, during breaks or at home with friends. In the social space, it can quickly seem harmless to gamble, and that’s exactly why with “The One-Armed Bandit” we want to remind young people of the potential negative consequences.”
Earlier this month, the authority launched StyrPåSpillet, a website that parents and teachers can use to teach students aged 13-15 about gambling and gambling addiction.