Report exposes corrupting effect of gambling on children

Early exposure to gambling multiplies the risk of gambling harms in later life, GambleAware has warned.

An online survey commissioned by the charity found that children exposed to gambling are four times more likely to go on to experience ‘problem gambling’ themselves.

The charity’s annual Treatment and Support Survey is based on research by pollsters YouGov, which included an online survey of 18,000 British adults, and one-to-one telephone interviews with people who either currently gamble, or used to gamble.

‘Early exposure’

YouGov estimated that up to 1.65 million youngsters, equivalent to 12.3 per cent of all under-18s, are growing up in British households with problem gamblers.

One in five participants said they were “first negatively affected by someone’s gambling behaviour” as under-18s.

Of these, eight per cent were classified as problem gamblers, a significantly higher percentage than the two per cent “who reported not being negatively affected at all” by problem gambling as a child.

GambleAware noted that demand for support amongst ‘affected others’ – those who know someone who had a problem with gambling – is up from 29 per cent in 2022, to 35 per cent in 2023.

Exploitation

GambleAware Chief Executive Zoë Osmond expressed concern at the “link between early exposure to gambling at a younger age and the risk of harms in later life”.

Responding to the report, Dame Rachel de Souza, Children’s Commissioner for England, warned that allowing gambling “to be normalised for young people” risked “a long-term impact on their lives”.

The Times commented: “GambleAware’s findings should give ministers, regulators and those who profit by selling gambling pause for thought. It is terrible enough to exploit adults and drive them to despair.

“But it is appalling to ruin the lives of children, either by corrupting them in their youth or by laying the foundations for future suffering.”

Effective action

In July, The Christian Institute called on the Government to prioritise gambling reform for the sake of those exploited by betting companies.

In a letter to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, the then Acting Director Ciarán Kelly highlighted three areas where quick effective action can be taken: gambling advertising, child protection, and online stakes.

The Institute has been campaigning for gambling reform for more than two decades, including opposing the Gambling Act 2005, which created the current crisis.