More than four million young people in Thailand have become involved in online gambling, raising concerns about the potential for addiction and its associated health risks, experts warn.
This caution was expressed by Pongthep Wongwatcharapaiboon, director of the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, during the Centre for Gambling Studies (CGS) conference held in Bangkok’s Samyan area on Friday.
Dr. Pongthep noted the rising popularity of online gambling sites, which are often endorsed by influencers, has attracted over four million young Thais.
“Gambling continuously results in a loss of self-control. Even after incurring losses or wishing to quit, individuals struggle to stop, indicating a worrying trend,” he stated.
He emphasized the danger of developing gambling habits and addiction—considered a psychiatric disorder similar to substance dependence—that can impact families, communities, and society as a whole.
“One gambling addict influences 10 to 17 individuals close to them,” he remarked.
Since 2010, ThaiHealth has aimed to address gambling-related problems through awareness campaigns, encouraging resilience among youth, and promoting policies to regulate and solve gambling issues, Dr. Pongthep explained.
At the conference, CGS director Nualnoi Trirat shared results from a 2023 survey conducted by the Research Centre for Social and Business Development. The survey, which included 7,131 respondents aged 15 and older from 24 provinces between November 15 and December 27, revealed that 99.3% of Thais know someone who engages in gambling.
The study indicated that 21% of children and 26% of teenagers feel tempted to gamble due to social pressures. Furthermore, over one million youths aged 15 to 18 participated in gambling last year, marking an increase of 231,000 compared to 2021.
Among individuals aged 19 to 25, 3.92 million reported gambling activity, while seniors over 60 comprised 4.47 million gamblers, reflecting a rise of over 400,000 since 2021. Approximately 7.45 million gamblers reported experiencing financial difficulties, mental health problems, and relationship issues due to their gambling behaviors.
Ms. Nualnoi mentioned that around six million gamblers are at high risk of becoming long-term problem gamblers, yet Thailand lacks sufficient mental health services to assist them.
Moreover, more than half of the Thai population opposes the legalization of gambling activities, such as football betting, casinos, and online platforms, fearing it would worsen gambling addiction issues.
