Marche psychologists call for gambling prevention for minors

Giuseppe Lavenia, president of the Order of Psychologists of the Marche region, is calling for increased investment in gambling prevention, particularly to protect minors. During a regional debate regarding a legislative proposal by counselor Antonio Mastrovincenzo, Lavenia emphasized that intervention must occur before families face severe economic conflict and debt.

Preliminary 2025 data from the Istituto Superiore di Sanità indicates that gambling is affecting young people at an early age. Approximately 25.4% of students aged 11 to 13 and 23.4% of those aged 14 to 17 engage in gambling. Within these groups, 2.4% and 3.9% respectively show problematic gambling profiles based on risk screening indicators.

Lavenia advocated for a collaborative approach involving schools, families, healthcare services, and local municipalities. He stressed the need for educational programs that teach the value of money and the reality of chance to prevent the illusion of control over luck.