Perceived parental knowledge as a protective factor against adolescent gambling behaviour

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Author(s): Guerra, Alice ; Tolga Er, Selahattin ; Molinaro, Sabrina ; Cotichini, Rodolfo ; Benedetti, Elisa

Journal: Scientific Reports

Year Published: 2026

Date Added: September 24, 2026

This study examined the link between adolescents’ perceived parental knowledge (PPK) and gambling. PPK refers to adolescents’ belief about how much their parents know about where they are and who they spend time with. The researchers used data from two waves of the nationally representative ESPAD® Italia survey (2022–2023). They examined responses from 24,631 Italian high school students aged 15 to 19 years old. The findings indicate that adolescents who reported higher levels of PPK were less likely to gamble frequently. This relationship was partly explained by these adolescents being less likely to believe that gambling is common among their peers and more likely to recognize gambling as harmful. Perceived peer gambling was the strongest and most consistent factor that helped explain the link between PPK and gambling behaviour. Awareness of gambling age limits was a significant factor for females only.

Citation: Guerra, A., Tolga Er, S., Molinaro, S., Cotichini, R., & Benedetti, E. (2026). The relationship between perceived parental knowledge and adolescent gambling. Scientific Reports. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-57703-y

Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-57703-y

Keywords: adolescent gambling ; adolescents ; gambling attitudes ; parenting ; parents

Topics: Children and Youth ; Gambling Cognitions ; Priority Populations

Conceptual Framework Factors: Cultural - Socio-cultural Attitudes ; Social - Family and Peer Gambling Involvement ; Psychological - Lifespan Development

Study Design: Secondary Data Analysis

Geographic Coverage: Italy

Study Population: Italian high school students aged 15 to 19 years old (N=24,631)

Sampling Procedure: Secondary data from two waves of the nationally representative survey ESPAD® Italia (2022–2023) was used. For this survey, a representative sample of high school students aged 15 to 19 years old was obtained through multistage stratified random sampling by geographical area and school type. Within each school, one or more classes from the first to fifth were selected. In 2022, 142 schools participated, and in 2023, 146 schools participated, representing 85% of the schools invited in both waves.

Study Funding:

This study received no direct funding.