"I usually profit because I know when to stop": Understanding Teenagers' Risk Perception and Mitigation Strategies of Gambling from Reddit CSCW023

Computer-supported cooperative work (CSCW) researchers have studied how teenagers experience safety risks such as cyberbullying and scam, but little attention has been paid to gambling. While teenagers’ access to traditional gambling, such as casinos, has been tightly regulated, internet technology has given rise to emergent forms of online gambling, which increasingly permeate teenagers’ everyday lives and exposes them to safety threats and gambling-related harm. Addressing this issue requires a deeper understanding of teenagers' risk perception of gambling, as it not only shapes individual decision-making but also influences societal behaviors and informs policies aimed at mitigating its harmful effects. To understand how teenagers perceive and deal with gambling risks, we analyzed how teenagers engaged in collective sensemaking of gambling in the r/teenagers subreddit, one of the largest online communities on Reddit for teenagers. Our findings revealed various gambling risks perceived by teenagers, the strategies they adopt to mitigate them, and the strong sense of agency they demonstrate in engaging with gambling-related content. Based on these findings, we propose gambling intervention recommendations targeting teenagers, as well as implications for platforms and policymaking.