In Portugal, gambling problems with scratch cards affects around 1.21% of the adult population, which means that scratch cards cause gambling problems for around 100 thousand citizens.

The conclusions, shared by Público and Observador, appear in the study “Quem Paga a Raspadinha?”, on the profile of users and levels of illnesses associated with this type of game.

Of the group of 100 thousand citizens with gambling problems, 30 thousand will have pathological gambling disorder. People with incomes between 400 and 664 euros are three times more likely to be frequent scratch card players compared to those who earn 1,500 euros per month. In addition to people with less income, the scratch card player profile includes those with lower school education and, among those at greater risk of developing illnesses associated with “scratch cards”, there are people with worse mental health indicators and worse habits in relation to when it comes to substance use.

The work — coordinated by psychiatrist Pedro Morgado and economist Luís Aguiar-Conraria, both researchers at the University of Minho — presents recommendations to the Government. Not being advocates of banning these games, as they “generate situations of clandestine, illegal gambling”, the authors of the study call for “better regulation” and suggest the creation of a player card, in which pathological behavior towards gambling can be identified. .