In Estonia, casino games are allowed from the age of 21, sports betting from 18 and lottery tickets can only be purchased by those over 16. Nevertheless, according to a study commissioned by the Gambling Addiction Counseling Center and conducted by Kantar Emor, 59 percent of respondents aged 15-20 had encountered gambling. Furthermore, 47 percent of 15-19-year-olds who had gambled in the past two years were also in the at-risk group, indicating that gambling had caused them some problems or that they were pathological gamblers.
Silver Sternfeldt, the CEO of the Gambling Addiction Counseling Center (HNK), told ERR that with over one hundred thousand people in the at-risk group, Estonia ranks first among European countries with gambling problems.
Sternfeldt attributes this to societal attitudes toward gambling. “As a society, we have not yet reached a point where we know how to gamble responsibly or demand responsible gambling operations,” he explained.
Gambling providers are thriving, interest in gambling is high, and new online casinos are constantly entering the market. For example, last year, the difference between the stakes placed and the winnings paid out in online gambling alone was €350 million. The state collected €48 million in gambling taxes over the year.
Bans ineffective
According to Tõnis Rüütel, director of the Estonian Association of Gambling Operators (EHKL), gambling addiction is undoubtedly a problem. However, he noted that there is increasing focus on promoting responsible gambling. For instance, gambling providers have the option to set limits for players.
“No operator is interested in having a gambling addict. This option exists and is used very actively; all operators impose internal restrictions within their organizations to prevent compulsive gamblers from playing,” Rüütel said.
Additionally, he highlighted the gambling restriction offered by the Tax and Customs Board, which players struggling with addiction can impose on themselves. According to the latest data, just over 6,300 citizens have set gambling restrictions for themselves, and nearly 3,500 have banned themselves from sports betting.
The Kantar Emor study also asked about the effectiveness of self-restriction, with 47 percent of respondents indicating that it was not helpful, as they simply found other ways to gamble.
Problem with aggressive advertising
Silver Sternfeldt from the Gambling Addiction Counseling Center (HNK) attributes the spread of addiction to aggressive advertising by gambling providers. Advertisements from various service providers, particularly online casinos, are indeed hard to miss. The study revealed that 76 percent of the population had noticed gambling ads in at least one advertising channel, most frequently online and on social media. This is a 7 percent increase compared to two years ago.
It is important to note that the younger the individual, the more likely they are to notice gambling advertisements. This is due to the intense advertising environment and the high number of users on various online platforms. Nowadays, it is difficult to read a web portal, scroll through social media or watch a YouTube video without encountering a colorful online casino ad.
Estonia has imposed restrictions on gambling advertising as outlined in the advertising law. However, the current law is vague, making it difficult for the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority (TTJA) to maintain control over the situation.
For instance, the advertising law states that gambling advertisements must not include calls to participate in gambling or suggest that gambling increases social success. However, the term “social success” is not clearly defined, leading to ambiguity about what advertisements are prohibited from suggesting.
Diana Lints, an advertising expert at TTJA’s information society service, cited an example from a study conducted last year that examined 152 advertisements. Only two of the observed marketing materials met the requirements. For example, 128 advertisements lacked or had incomplete warning texts, which are mandatory for gambling advertisements.
The ongoing European Football Championship has once again flooded the media space with sports betting advertisements. The direct connection between gambling ads and major sporting events was confirmed by EHKL Director Tõnis Rüütel, who added that sports betting is becoming increasingly popular.
According to Tiina Hiob, a lecturer in advertising theory and psychology at Tallinn University, gambling advertisements often attempt to associate gambling with excitement and winning, as well as the possibility of becoming wealthy.
Young people especially vulnerable
In difficult times, such messages are particularly appealing. This is supported by the results of the Kantar Emor survey, which found that an increasing number of problem gamblers do not view gambling as a fun pastime but rather as a way to win a large sum of money or solve their financial problems.
Hiob also pointed out the use of the “positive role model” tactic, where advertisements feature well-known personalities, often successful athletes. This type of rhetoric particularly resonates with young people. Considering the style of gambling advertisements (often almost cartoon-like), frequent rule violations, and their primary distribution channels, Hiob noted a direct connection between the high gambling problem rate and the 15-20 age group.
As a result, whether intentionally or unintentionally, a large portion of gambling advertisements is most attractive and visible to young people. This has created a situation where half of the young people who have encountered gambling have addiction problems.
Need for new advertising law
Relief could come from a new advertising law that would more precisely regulate unacceptable practices. Tiina Hiob cited the example of alcoholic beverage advertisements, which are now strictly and explicitly limited. The need to amend the law was also confirmed by representatives of the HNK and TTJA.
The coalition agreement of the governing parties included an intention to ban all gambling advertisements, but this provision did not make it into the draft legislation prepared by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications at the beginning of this year. The ministry believes that it is first necessary to investigate whether banning advertisements would indeed help reduce problematic behavior.
According to the initial plan, the draft amendment to the advertising law is expected to be completed by the end of this year, with the changes coming into effect at the end of 2025.
However, Tiina Hiob emphasized that an even more important solution is raising awareness among young people so that they are not influenced by such advertisements. “Personally, I am much more in favor of education than commands and prohibitions. It has a significantly longer-lasting impact,” explained the lecturer.
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