Belgium has sparked a global debate by raising the gambling age from 18 to 21, with concerns about gambling and sports betting addiction the main accusation.
The move sets Belgium apart from other EU countries such as Sweden, Germany, Finland and Austria, where the gambling age is 18.
Miranda Raaff, head of iGaming insights at casino resource portal Minimum Deposit Casinos (MDC), said there were striking differences in age limits for activities such as driving, smoking, drinking, sports betting and viewing adult content.
If Belgian lawmakers believe that 21 is the right age to gamble, shouldn’t that age be set for all high-risk activities such as drinking, smoking, driving and viewing pornography? It seems arbitrary to single out sports betting and leave other behaviors equally, if not more risky, less regulated. Maybe they should apply the same logic to all of these activities. Obviously, in most countries, 18-year-olds are allowed to watch pornography. So that’s a perceived level of maturity, despite the dangers of the Internet.
Alcohol poses a huge health risk. Driving a car requires even more responsibility with potentially life-threatening consequences; yet, it’s allowed for 18-year-olds. In some countries, even young people are driving.
In other words, addiction is not limited to gambling, as it can happen with alcohol, smoking, and pornography.
In Raaff’s view, it makes no sense to trust young people to drive, smoke, drink alcohol, and watch pornography at 18 and gamble and bet on sports at 21.
The Belgian decision therefore raises important questions about how young people perceive maturity. There is no doubt that the debate on this topic has only just begun.
