The problem of gambling addiction displaces alcohol and cigarettes

According to report prepared by the UK Gambling Commission, children between the ages of 11 and 16 play gambling more often than they consume alcoholic beverages or smoke.

Based on the survey, which involved 2865 children aged from 11 to 16 years, it was concluded that over the past 12 months, the involvement of adolescents in gambling has increased. A total of 14% admitted that they spend their pocket money on such entertainment. In 2017, the rate was 12%.

For comparison, 13% use alcoholic beverages, 4% smoke, and 2% use illicit drugs.

The report says that 6% of respondents used a parent account to play online gambling, and 12% used social networks of gambling companies.

A total of 66% saw advertisements for gambling on television, 59% also saw ads on social media channels.

Tim Miller, executive director of the Commission, commented: “Protecting children from harm that may come from gambling remains one of our priorities. In areas where there is regulatory control, we continue to strengthen protective measures to prevent minors from participating in gambling.”

Marc Etches, CEO of GambleAware, also spoke on the report. In his opinion, it is completely unacceptable that so many children are involved in gambling activities.

“This is a clear reminder that gambling is a public health problem, and we cannot ignore it,” concluded Etches.

The widespread distribution of gambling advertising, combined with the blurring of the boundary between computer and gambling, contributes to this state of affairs.

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