New research has suggested that underage individuals as young as 14 years old in Ireland are being exposed to gambling in a variety of ways. Some Government officials and local lawmakers have criticised gambling operators earmarking them as irresponsible and calling for them to impose stricter measures on gambling advertising.
It turns out that gambling is being encountered by children in Ireland on a daily basis, with the matter raising some public safety concerns.
Every year, a study to examine gambling participation trends among young people in England and Scotland is being authorised by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) in partnership with the charity organisation GambleAware, with the research being carried out by Ipsos MORI. The research is not specifically related to children and young people in Ireland, the results of the study highlight a larger problem associated with the gambling culture of the region as a whole.
Children between 11 and 16 years of age from England and Scotland took part in the research, with the agency being aimed at determining their relationship to gambling and related activities.
The study found that 58% of the young people who participated in the study had seen or heard gambling ads, while half of them had previously gambled in the presence of their parents or guardians. It also turned out that 37% of the interviewed had gambled over the last 12 months, and 9% had used their own money to do so in the week before the research. According to the statistics provided as a result of the study, 1.9% of the children who took part in the research are categorised as gambling addicts.
Irish Children Are Exposed to Gambling and Gambling Harm in Various Ways
Based on the results of the study about children gambling participation in England and Scotland, a few major conclusions have been made by analysts.
For the time being, gambling advertising seems to be the most relevant form of gambling exposure faced by young people, especially during sports events. Gambling advertising is available both off- and online, on billboards, through print advertising materials, television and social media, with Irish children being constantly targeted by the offerings of gambling companies.
Furthermore, most children have access to smartphones or other mobile devices, which basically makes them able to download and play casino-style games, virtual slot machine games or simulated poker games. To make things worse, in-game purchases are often available on such platforms or in such apps, only to encourage underage gamblers to spend more money on games that are often not categorised as gambling.
Social media is also among the places where gambling advertisements encourage young people to view even more gambling ads and play.
On the other hand, children in Ireland can easily access various video games, such as FIFA, Fortnight, Call of Duty, etc., which offer in-game purchases of special content widely known as loot boxes. The latter have been widely blamed for encouraging young people to spend money on something that could be considered gambling.
- Author
Daniel Williams
