Report: ‘Govt must act to stop children being lured into gambling’

Urgent Government action is required to protect children from exposure to gambling, a charity has warned.

Research commissioned by the charity GambleAware revealed that many children see gambling as a normal part of everyday life.

The aim of the study, which involved workshops and in-depth interviews, was to investigate the “lived experiences” of children and young people in relation to gambling.

Affected children

According to the study, children were introduced to gambling through gambling imagery, online games and advertisements, and by family members and friends.

Among the 89 participants, one boy aged 15-16 remarked: “888 Casino advertising, they make it look like a game, it does not look like gambling”.

A similar aged girl said: “The ads on YouTube make it look like this is a really fun activity that has no consequence outside of using or winning some money”.

Another teenager told researchers: “In my family, grandparents, uncles and stuff, they like gambling. It’s like a tradition to gamble”.

Regulation

Based on the research, GambleAware concluded: “the current way in which gambling is portrayed in everyday life, in culture, and in advertising, is failing to communicate the risks to children”.

The charity recommended a number of measures, including “a stronger degree of regulation on online gambling advertising, so that it is clear that the products are not for children or under 18’s and that they are in fact advertising gambling”.

It added that children needed to be helped to understand “why and how some gambling mechanisms can create addictive or compulsive behaviour”.

Urgent action is needed to protect children.

GambleAware also recommended that parents, caregivers and schools, be taught “how to speak about the potential dangers of introducing children to gambling”.

‘Early exposure’

The charity’s Chief Executive, Zoë Osmond, said: “early exposure to gambling can normalise gambling for children at a young age, and lead to problems.

“We need to see more restrictions put on gambling advertising and content to ensure it is not appearing in places where children can see it. Urgent action is needed to protect children.”

Responding to the report, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said: “We pay close attention to emergent forms of gambling and gambling-like products, including social casino games, to ensure that appropriate regulation is in place.”