Recent research highlights a concerning “grey area” between traditional gambling and gaming with gambling characteristics, particularly affecting children and young people.
The study focused on three specific demographics: children under 11, those impacted by another’s gambling habits, and those deemed vulnerable.
Published on April 19, the report compiled data from interviews with children from each group, revealing a widespread exposure to gambling advertisements across online platforms.
Particularly, vulnerable children reported higher instances of encountering such ads.
The report stated, “The sensory nature of bright, loud and eye-catching gambling adverts and the language drew children in and misled them.
Especially those vulnerable children with SEND,” noting that “Vulnerable boys had the highest recall of gambling advertising and gambling brands.”
The confusion between gambling and gaming is pronounced among the youth, as some struggle to differentiate traditional gaming from games with gambling elements.
A significant example cited in the study is bright, child-friendly cartoon imagery used in gambling platforms like 888 Casino, which one boy described as making it “look like a game, it does not look like gambling.”
Traditional definitions of gambling cited by young people included lotteries and slot machines, overlooking the modern shift towards online gambling.
The report emphasized, “The grey area between online gambling and gambling-like gaming is confusing and blurs the lines for children and young people.
“As well as their parents and caregivers, between what is and is not gambling,” highlighting a discrepancy in recognizing the risks associated with online gambling platforms.
Children’s online environments are reportedly “saturated” with gambling content, influenced significantly by influencers and sports figures.
While some older children believed this content should be regulated, others felt it was their responsibility to assess the risks associated with engaging in such activities.
In response to these findings, the report advocated for enhanced gambling education, stressing the importance of understanding the diverse harms of gambling beyond financial losses.
It cautioned against alarmist approaches in education, advocating for a balanced perspective that acknowledges the non-inherently harmful nature of gambling.
Zoë Osmond, CEO of GambleAware, underscored the necessity of stricter regulations on gambling advertisements to prevent their exposure to young audiences.
“This research shows that gambling content is now part of many children’s lives,” Osmond remarked, stressing the dangers of normalizing gambling behaviors in youth.
The report’s publication coincides with updates from GambleAware about the availability of support for gambling harms, highlighting an efficient response time from the National Gambling Support Network and significant engagement with their self-assessment tools.