An Innovative ICT Platform Targeting Primary Prevention of Gambling Disorder

FreeLudo is an innovative project targeting the primary prevention of DSM-5 Gambling Disorder (GD), addressing children aged between 6 and 8 years attending Primary School. An innovative platform has been developed within the project, which enables hybrid online and offline interaction and provides children with questionnaires aimed at better understanding the potential risk factors for the development of GD. Questionnaires are provided through a simple platform video game; however, the platform also stimulates social interaction among children by assigning them social challenges and activities, after the video game. While providing an interactive user awareness on the risk of Gambling Disorders, the platform allows data collection on potential risk behavior. The paper summarizes the preliminary results of the platform's first testing phase, conducted on a heterogeneous sample of children aged 6 to 8 years, attending a primary school in the province of Taranto (Apulia, Italy).