Buenos Aires, December 6 (NA) — The growing participation of young people in digital investment platforms hides a worrying phenomenon: many replicate behavior patterns associated with gambling addiction in their financial decisions, economist Carlos Curi, a specialist in financial well-being, has warned.
"Many trading and cryptocurrency applications use game-like dynamics—real-time charts, rewards, notifications—that are reminiscent of digital casinos," the specialist detailed. According to Curi, this design "reinforces the connection between the gambling addiction from their educational stage and their current investment habits."
Generation Z, exposed to online gambling since adolescence, replicates these same patterns when trading in financial markets through digital platforms.
Financial education: the pending debt
The analysis concludes that there is a structural deficiency in the financial training of young people. "While they are more likely to invest today and prefer mobile applications for savings and investment, thus avoiding traditional banks, external influences from social networks and financial trends push them to make quick decisions, often without any analysis or advice," explained Curi.
The expert specified that 75% of young employees seek additional income because their compensation is not satisfactory. This search leads them to assume significant financial risks, amplified by behaviors acquired during their early exposure to betting platforms.
Trading platforms that mimic digital casinos
The economist has warned about the design of investment applications, which incorporate elements typical of gambling games. "Those who do not choose a consistent, long-term investment often use these digital applications as if they were online bets," the expert noted in a column where he analyzes the link between gambling addiction and investment habits.
The specialist highlighted that this behavior originates from a problem that expanded during the pandemic and today affects a significant segment of the youth population.
Alarming figures on online betting in Argentina
According to data cited by Curi, around 12.5% of young Argentines between the ages of 16 and 24 have participated in online betting. The economist recalled that the World Health Organization (WHO) considers youth gambling addiction to be "an impulse control disorder, with impacts on mental health and well-being."
This situation, as learned by the Argentine News Agency, translates into the investment sphere when young people seek additional income due to unsatisfactory job compensation.
The paradox of Centennials and digital finances
The specialist's analysis reveals a contradiction in the financial behavior of new generations. "The lack of financial education in schools, universities, and companies leaves young people vulnerable to confusing investment with betting, assuming excessive risks without long-term strategies," warned the economist.
For Curi, gambling addiction in educational institutions and the way Centennials invest represent "two sides of the same phenomenon: a digitally-native youth facing financial risks without sufficient education in the subject."
The specialist, with over 40 years of experience in fiduciary administration and asset management for retirement plans, advocates for the implementation of financial well-being programs to address this problem from the labor and educational spheres.
