Rome, November 18 (Adnkronos) – Minors worry: too many adults sell alcohol, tobacco, gambling and pornography illegally. More than half of venues and retailers ignore legal prohibitions: 53% of venues continue to sell alcohol to minors even if they are visibly intoxicated; 60% of tobacco retailers do not verify age and 46% of minors believe that moderate play is harmless. These are some of the data that emerged from the 2025 edition of the survey “Sold to minors” presented in the Matteotti Room of the Chamber of Deputies, carried out by the Italian Parents Movement (Moige), in collaboration with the Piepoli Institute to analyze the phenomenon of the sale of prohibited or unsuitable products to minors: alcohol, smoking, gambling, pornography, 18+ video games and counterfeit products. The survey was conducted on 2,123 children aged between 10 and 18 years.
The study revealed quite widespread “illegal” sales to minors of prohibited products among minors in Italy, despite legal prohibitions. This diffusion, Moige emphasized, is related to the ease and involvement of traders who do not verify the age of buyers, and sell without problems even to small buyers.
94% of the sample interviewed were aware of the fact that alcohol can have dangerous consequences for health. Three out of 4 people interviewed said that they had talked about this in their families and that their parents had warned them. Nine out of 10 children stated that their teacher had also discussed the topic in class. However, one third of minors in Italy stated that they had consumed alcoholic drinks, although with different frequency and intensity. (28%) have drunk alcohol at least once and 5% drink it regularly (an increase compared to 2023). Minors drink alcohol primarily to feel more energetic and cheerful (14%), relax (12%), and be more sociable (10%). Alcohol is mainly purchased in clubs, pubs and discos (9%) and bars (8%), 6% in supermarkets. 59% of retailers do not check the age of alcohol buyers and 53% continue to sell alcohol to minors even if they are visibly intoxicated.
Regarding smoking, 95% of the sample interviewed knew that smoking was dangerous, and could have serious and permanent consequences (85%). 28% smoke at least one cigarette. Of this number, 8% do it regularly. Minors smoke mainly out of curiosity (20%) and to relax (9%). 76% of smokers do it in company. 56% only try or smoke occasionally. Among smokers, the majority (26%) smoke between 1 and 5 cigarettes, but 4% smoke a full pack of 20 cigarettes a day and 2% smoke even more than one pack a day (this figure has doubled compared to 2023). Cigarettes or shredded tobacco are mostly purchased from tobacco sellers (45%) and distributors (22%). However, 17% asked friends.
According to research, minors who buy from vending machines with health card controls use older friends (52%), or parents or older siblings (38%). However, in 10% of cases, verification is not active. However, regarding physical stores, 60% of sellers do not verify their age, and 45% do not refuse a sale despite knowing that the seller is underage.
From research data conducted by Moige in collaboration with the Piepoli Institute, 33% of respondents had smoked at least once. As many as 8% of those interviewed used to smoke, compared to 4% in the previous survey in 2023. The reasons that prompted them to vape were curiosity (21%), belief that it was not as bad as traditional cigarettes (10%), to relax (7%) and to stop smoking other types of cigarettes (4%). 5% (+2% compared to 2023) did it because their friends smoked. 69% use liquids containing nicotine (+25% compared to 2023). 38% bought e-cigarettes and refills at tobacco shops, 19% at vending machines, and 17% asked friends for the cigarettes. Based on research, 80% use products that are packaged and ready to use.
As for playing games, according to data released by Moige, 81% (-2% compared to 2023) of children are aware of the fact that frequently playing games with cash winnings can have negative consequences, but only 46% believe that this can have serious and permanent consequences. As many as 59% of respondents realized that no longer being able to stop smoking was a serious consequence, because 34% of respondents realized that this had an impact on poverty alleviation, and 7% of respondents realized that this had an impact on daily activities. 83% know that this type of activity is prohibited for children under 18 years old, 5% think that the minimum age is 16 years old, 4% is sufficient to be 14 years old, and 8% have never been prohibited. 46% believe that playing in moderation is not harmful, while 85% believe that placing maximum limits on the amount or time to gamble is beneficial.
29% entered rooms dedicated to gaming with cash winnings, 72% did so with their peers. 68% are aware of the ban on cash prize room access for minors. 16% have played at least once at a betting agency, bar, tobacco shop, bingo hall or other similar venue. The most popular type of game among minors is scratch cards (30%), followed by sports betting (22%), slot machines (12%) and casinos (11%). In commercial businesses, 48% said their age was checked, 50% of managers were not against letting minors play.
64% stated that it would be impossible to mistake him for an adult. However, regarding online games with cash winnings, 12% had played them at least once, 37% heard about them from friends, and 22% had seen them on TV. Online, most sports betting is done (7%), but also poker (in all its variants), bingo, casino and video lottery. 30% of sites had no warning stating that the game was illegal for anyone under 18. When registering, the age is not asked (34%), or the children lie (47%).
44% of those interviewed had viewed pornographic content at least once, and this was harmful to the mental well-being of minors by 49% of those interviewed. As many as 68% consider pornographic films and photos illegal for children under 18 years, while 22% only recommend it, while 10% only need to be at least 14 years old. These are some of the data that emerged from the 2025 edition of the survey “Sold to minors” presented in the Matteotti Room of the Chamber of Deputies, carried out by the Italian Parents Movement (Moige), in collaboration with the Piepoli Institute to analyze the phenomenon of the sale of prohibited or unsuitable products to minors: alcohol, smoking, gambling, pornography, 18+ video games and counterfeit products. The survey was conducted on 2,123 children aged between 10 and 18 years.
Based on survey data, 69% of respondents watched this content alone, 23% with friends of the same age, 4% with girlfriends, 2% with older friends, and 2% with adults. 53% found out about pornographic content from friends, 21% looked for it on the internet. The most used media is smartphones (36%), followed by home computers (8%) and tablets (7%). In 41% of cases, the buyer’s age was not verified, 55% lied.
The number of young people playing video games is increasing, with only 25% saying they have never played them. 40% play 1 hour a day, 75% play online (40% always or often). 36% played alone, 36% with friends connected online, 20% with friends in person, and 3% with strangers connected online. Favorite games are action and adventure games (43%), but also sports (22%). The most used device is a smartphone (42%), followed by a video game console (38%). These are some of the data that emerged from the 2025 edition of the survey “Sold to minors” presented in the Matteotti Room of the Chamber of Deputies, carried out by the Italian Parents Movement (Moige), in collaboration with the Piepoli Institute to analyze the phenomenon of the sale of prohibited or unsuitable products to minors: alcohol, smoking, gambling, pornography, 18+ video games and counterfeit products. The survey was conducted on 2,123 children aged between 10 and 18 years.
38% of minors interviewed believed that games with violent or vulgar content had no impact on their mental health. 9% believe there is no ban on games containing violent and graphic content, and 47% admit to having played at least one video game that is banned for their age.
In the last year, 38%, according to data released by Moige, downloaded age-inappropriate video games, and in 32% of cases there were no age ban notices. 18% asked their parents to buy it, 17% bought it in stores, 8% via the internet. Many children (57%) recognize the symbols that accompany video games, such as Pegi. 60% agree with installing parental controls.
Counterfeiting is considered banal by teenagers: 33% are unaware of the phenomenon and 13% reduce it to simple “low-cost imitation”. 73% believe this impacts all sectors, especially clothing, accessories and technology. 70% know that this is a global problem, not just an Italian problem. Channels for purchasing counterfeit goods are online and offline (50%), but the internet is the main channel: 46% often encounter suspicious offers on e-commerce and social media. These are some of the data that emerged from the 2025 edition of the survey “Sold to minors” presented in the Matteotti Room of the Chamber of Deputies, carried out by the Italian Parents Movement (Moige), in collaboration with the Piepoli Institute to analyze the phenomenon of the sale of prohibited or unsuitable products to minors: alcohol, smoking, gambling, pornography, 18+ video games and counterfeit products. The survey was conducted on 2,123 children aged between 10 and 18 years
Based on surveys, many children cannot differentiate between genuine and fake products. The perceived risks are mostly related to poor quality (67%), while few people are aware of the dangers to health, safety or legal implications; 25% think there is no risk. Only a small number know that buying counterfeit goods can be subject to sanctions.
In prevention strategies, control of online reviews is more dominant (37%). Purchases of counterfeit goods are mainly related to clothing (66%) and technology (20%), but also cosmetics and food. 41% recognize a fake product after experiencing technical problems, 19% use it anyway, and 10% feel embarrassed about buying it. The main reasons are convenience (35%), choice (40%) and speed (27%). 72% are unaware of counterfeiters’ increasingly sophisticated and deceptive techniques.
