A 38-year-old man, identified only as Marco, found his life disrupted by online trading, losing sleep and straining family relationships in pursuit of extra income. Simultaneously, Alessio, a 24-year-old student, saw a casual foray into betting apps escalate into isolation from friends and academic life. These cases, reported by the Department for Dependencies of the Ulss 2 health authority, represent a growing trend of behavioral addictions extending beyond traditional gambling.
Eight years after the launch of regional plans to combat gambling, the landscape has shifted. Alongside traditional gambling, gaming disorder and online trading are increasingly prevalent. In 2023, Ulss 2 reported a single case of compulsive trading. By 2025, that number had risen to approximately 15 cases managed across the districts of Treviso, Asolo, and Conegliano.
In total, the Department for Dependencies at Ulss 2 took on 228 users in 2025 for issues related to Pathological Gambling. While some characteristics remain consistent – men are still more likely to seek help than women – the profile of those struggling is evolving. The majority of those seeking assistance continue to be heavily involved with slot machines, both physical and online, despite the Gratta e Vinci scratch cards being the most popular form of gambling in Italy overall.
The department is observing a rise in young adults developing addictive behaviors in digital environments, including trading platforms marketed as easy opportunities for profit. These platforms, officials say, can generate psychological dynamics similar to those seen in pathological gambling. “” operators explain, “attention has shifted from solely intervening with players already in difficulty towards early prevention and protection of young and vulnerable subjects, particularly with regard to online gambling and the dynamics of compulsivity associated with it.”
The “S-connected” centers, run in collaboration with private social services, highlight the impact of excessive internet use on young people. Since 2024, these centers have supported 106 families and reached numerous individuals through informational evenings. Most consultations at these centers (106 cases) were initiated by parents. The problematic behavior is more common in males, with the 15-19 age group accounting for 53.8% of cases. Smartphones are the primary device associated with abuse (87.9%), followed by PCs, tablets, and video game consoles. Online activities among these young people center around social media, video games, chat applications, and online shopping.
To address this evolving situation, the Department for Dependencies of Ulss 2 is promoting two initiatives. A conference, “The clinical experiences gained in the Gap plans,” held today in Castelfranco, is aimed at professionals and will focus on updating policies related to gambling and new forms of digital addiction. The event will serve as a platform to share data, discuss emerging trends, and reinforce the importance of an integrated intervention model involving health services, institutions, and the community.
A public talk and performance, “Fate il NOSTRO gioco” (Make OUR game), scheduled for February 26th, is a project by TAXI 1729 designed to reveal the mathematical and psychological mechanisms behind the illusion of easy profit. The event will take place at 8:30 PM in the Aula Magna of the Da Collo Institute in Conegliano, Via Galilei, 6. Organizers hope to empower young people and families with knowledge to defend against these risks.
“The testimonies of those who seek help from our services inform us that the risk today is literally in our pockets, inside a smartphone,” explain representatives from the Department for Dependencies. “With the conference in Castelfranco and the evening in Conegliano, we desire to combine the high profile of technical training with the direct awareness of the population, offering concrete responses to those, like Marco and Alessio, who decide to take back control of their lives.”
Contact information for the S-Connected centers is as follows: Treviso – Servizio Dipendenze “La Madonnina” – Via Castellana 2 – cell 353 4204911; Riese Pio X – Barchessa Zorzi – Via Sarto 31 – cell 37135; Conegliano – Comgiova – Via Ortigara 131 – cell 351 7934575; Montebelluna – Casa del Volontariato – Via Mariello 4 – cell 345 5405995; Oderzo – Servizio Dipendenze – Via Manin 46 – cell 353 4204911.