A new report indicates that addiction disorders are triggered mainly online and therefore require schools and health agencies to prioritise digital well-being.
The European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD), led by the European Union Drug Agency (EUDA), has given a direct warning to governments and public health bodies that digital addictions are now the biggest threat to adolescent well-being across Europe.
The 2024 ESPAD report, which surveyed over 113,000 students aged 15 to 16 across 37 countries, shows that while traditional substance use such as smoking and alcohol consumption has declined significantly, Europe now faces an “emerging crisis” in behavioural addictions — particularly online gambling, gaming, and compulsive social media use.
Digital addiction now dominates adolescent risk
“Digital behaviours are no longer secondary concerns,” the report concludes. “They must be addressed as primary threats to youth mental health and well-being.”
One of the most pressing trends is the increase in harmful social media use, where 47% of the students scored high on the perceived social media risk scale. Girls appear to be more affected, with 53% of them reporting negative effects from their social media habits. Meanwhile, gaming addiction remains more prevalent among boys, with 30% acknowledging gaming-related problems, compared to 13% of girls.
Four in five students reported playing digital games in the past month, with a staggering 70% doing so during school days.
Gambling shifts online, but land-based customs persists
The report also indicates that gambling remains prevalent among European teens, with 23% reporting some form of gambling in the past year. While land-based venues such as bars and clubs remain dominant — particularly in Italy, where 98% of teenage gamblers prefer them — the shift to online gambling is accelerating.
Online participation has nearly doubled since 2019, jumping from 7.9% to 14%. Among boys, the figure hits 20%. Although girls are less likely to gamble, their rate has tripled since the last study, indicating a narrowing gender gap. The highest levels of online gambling were found in Sweden, Slovenia and Kosovo.
Alarmingly, ESPAD’s use of the Lie/Bet screening tool shows that the number of students at risk of gambling-related harm has increased from 4.7% in 2019 to 8.5% in 2024, with a more pronounced spike among girls.
Urgent action on mental well-being declines
For the first time, ESPAD included the WHO-5 Mental Well-being Index in its assessment. Only 59% of students across Europe reported positive mental health, with sharp gender divides: 69% of boys versus just 49% of girls. Eastern European countries and conflict-affected regions such as Ukraine scored the lowest.
The report calls for more targeted and skills-based prevention programmes. Although 72% of students had participated in at least one prevention activity in the past two years, access and quality varied widely across the continent. Western and Southern European schools tended to use evidence-based strategies, while Eastern regions relied more on general awareness campaigns.
The ESPAD conclusions are unequivocal: addiction is evolving, and policy must keep pace. The digital environment now shapes how European teenagers socialise, entertain, and risk harm.
“Authorities must understand that addiction is no longer just about substances,” EUDA emphasises. “It’s about screens, networks and behavioural design. Schools and youth services must put digital well-being at the core of prevention strategies if we are to protect the next generation.”
With online risks outpacing traditional addictions, Europe’s education and health systems face a clear challenge: to modernise interventions and adopt a forward-facing approach to adolescent care.
