Impacts of Online Gambling on Teenagers (Case of Teenagers in Sukasari District, Bandung City)

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the deviant behavior of online gambling among teenagers in Sukasari District, Bandung City, using Edwin Sutherland’s Differential Association Theory. A qualitative case study method was employed, involving participant observation and in-depth interviews with teenagers engaged in online gambling, teachers, and community leaders. The results indicate that online gambling behavior is primarily influenced by peer interaction, ease of access through digital technology, economic hardship, and insufficient parental supervision. These social dynamics foster patterns of gambling addiction, emotional instability, financial strain, and withdrawal from academic and family responsibilities. The study concludes that online gambling among teenagers is a socially learned behavior reinforced by peer groups and environmental factors. As an implication, this research suggests the need for early preventive education, family involvement, promotion of positive peer environments, and stronger regulatory enforcement to reduce the prevalence and impact of online gambling among adolescents.