- Media
Adulthood problem gambling more likely with early exposure
Issues with problem gambling in adulthood seems to be significantly more likely among individuals who were exposed to gambling during their childhood, a study commissioned by the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) and conducted by the Economic and Social Research Institute’s Behaviour Research Unit found.
The term ‘problem gambling’ refers to when gambling begins disrupting or damaging one’s life, having negative impacts on factors such as their finances, wellbeing, or social circles.
Links between problem gambling and childhood
As part of the research related to this study, anonymous online responses were gathered from a representative sample of over 1,600 adults, and the researchers compared gambling behaviours with childhood experiences. Through this research, the data revealed a strong link where those who had gambled as children were almost twice as likely to experience problem gambling. Additionally, people who both gambled as children and also had a parent who gambled a lot were around four times as likely to experience problem gambling.
The most common forms of childhood gambling among participants were slot machines, scratch cards, bingo and lotteries, and horse betting.
GRAI CEO Anne Marie Caulfield stated that this research provided clear evidence of the long-term potential harms that result from childhood exposure to gambling. She added that such findings reinforce the importance of having a well-regulated gambling sector which protects children and others who may be vulnerable to gambling harm.
Digital gambling and the youth
Meanwhile, easy access to online gambling through smartphones and computers seems to have resulted in a sharp rise in gambling addiction in Turkiye, as a senior psychiatrist at Akdeniz University has stated that cases of gambling addiction are even appearing among children from the age of 12.
According to Turkiye Today, Associate Professor Ali Erdogan said that access to gambling has become extremely easy as a result of digitalisation, which in turn causes addiction to spread more easily. Erdogan said that online gambling differs from traditional gambling due to easier accessibility and being more normalised, as certain platforms and norms present and facilitate it as routine activity.
He commented that controlling things such as this in the digital world can be difficult, and so called on parents to monitor their children and remain aware of online behaviour in order to take early preventative action.
Concern over digital addiction risks is reportedly growing in Turkiye, especially in regard to younger users and the expanding, easily accessible online spaces.
The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), based in the United States of America, has stated that there is a significant lack of research on youth gambling activity and the harms associated with it, which in turn leaves major gaps in understanding the impact of gambling among adolescents and young adults. It further stated that studies have not been able to keep up with emerging technologies and digital gambling trends, which has ultimately been making it more difficult to develop effective prevention and policy strategies.
The NCPG stated that children and teens are at a higher risk of developing a gambling problem than adults are. It continued that online gambling is the second most prevalent form of gambling among youths under the age of 18. It has also said that more than two thirds of adult gambles have reported that exposure to gambling during adolescence was a key contributing factor to their current gambling.
It commented that everyone who provides gambling opportunities has a responsibility to develop policies which address underage and problem gambling issues.
The UK Gambling Commission has historically expressed similar sentiments, calling for regulators and businesses to work together to protect children, while also emphasising that parents should be mindful of the influence they can have on children’s gambling behaviour.
Stay ahead in leadership with the latest insights from industry experts. Subscribe today.
