Study links hybrid video games with increased gambling risk among teens

The Association de recherche et prévention sur les excès des jeux (Arpej), together with the Autorité nationale des jeux (ANJ), surveyed 5,000 French teenagers aged 15 to 17 in 2025 about their use of "digital hybrid games" - titles that merge video-game play with gambling mechanics such as virtual slots, card games, loot boxes or virtual sports betting. Roughly 39% reported playing at least one hybrid game in the three months preceding the survey, and a subset made purchases linked to these games.

Researchers highlight a "gateway effect," noting that two-thirds of young gamers who tried hybrid casino games later engaged in conventional gambling. Although many of these games are free, they often encourage micro-transactions and expose players to betting advertisements on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Participants who combined hybrid and gambling activities scored higher on risk-assessment scales and reported more sleep problems, stress and mood-regulation difficulties than those who only gambled.