What is gambling?
Gambling is betting money or something else of value on the chance of a particular outcome.
For children, gambling often looks like card games, lottery tickets and scratchy cards.
Also, children can gamble without money on apps and video games. Many apps and games rated as OK for kids have gambling themes and content.
Some children move from these forms of gambling to more serious types of gambling in later adolescence, like racing and other sports betting.
What is the legal age for gambling?
The legal age for gambling on the pokies, the lottery and scratchy cards, at the TAB, at a casino and online is 18 years.
Although underage gambling is illegal, some children start gambling very young – as young as 10 years. Most children have gambled by the age of 15.
There are thousands of online gambling websites, which have few age checks compared to casinos, TABs and hotels. This means underage gambling is easier and more common online.
Why gambling seems like fun to young people
Gambling and gambling-like experiences are so widespread that young people see gambling as a normal part of everyday life, including sport. And TV and internet gambling advertisements send messages that gambling is fun, exciting and a way to join in with others and get rich easily.
Young people might think of gambling as a good social activity. This is because online gambling activities use chat and messaging to encourage people to bet with friends and share gambling stories.
Online gambling is often designed so that players win a lot in ‘practice mode’. Young people might believe that this winning streak will keep going when they play with real money. Most problem gamblers had what they thought was a significant ‘win’ early in their gambling history.
And some online gambling is designed to look like video games and apps that involve skill. This might seem like fun and give young people unrealistic or false beliefs about their likelihood of winning.
How to help your teen avoid gambling problems
Explain how gambling works
Children in the upper years of primary school are generally ready to learn about gambling, including the low likelihood of winning in the medium to long term.
It can help to explain the odds of winning in a way your child can easily understand. To do this, you could compare the chances of winning to other chances. For example, ‘Your chance of winning the lottery is 1 in 15 million. Your chance of being hit by lightning in your lifetime is 1 in 300,000’.
You could also explain that gambling companies are set up to make more money than they pay out to gamblers. If they didn’t make money, they wouldn’t be able to stay in business.
Look out for problems that might lead to gambling
If you watch out for social, educational or mental health problems, you might be able to prevent unhealthy activities like gambling.
For example, if your child is having a hard time at home or school, gambling can seem like a fun way to cope with boredom or escape from stress or other problems.
Positive extracurricular activities can be a better way for your child to handle boredom or stress. They can help your child feel good about themselves, have fun and let off steam.
Think about family attitudes and activities
Your family’s attitude to gambling can influence your child. The less your child is exposed to poker machines, the lottery, scratchy cards or sports bets, the less likely they are to see gambling as fun. They’re also less likely to develop a problem.
If you do choose to gamble, you can help your child avoid problems by making sure they know how gambling activities work.
It’s also worth thinking about how often you use gambling language to encourage children. For example, ‘I bet you can’t swim to the other side of the pool. If you do, I’ll buy you an ice-cream’.
Talk about screen use and online gambling
The best way to help your child make good decisions about online gambling and gaming is by talking about the types of games they play. For example, you could talk about video games with gambling themes and content and why you’d prefer your child didn’t play them.
Also, if you encourage your child to have a balanced approach to screen use, they’ll have plenty of healthy ways to relieve boredom and escape stress. This might mean online gambling has less appeal.
And if you and your child negotiate your family screen and internet use rules, it can help your child understand and accept these rules. This might include limits on access to online gambling activities and the use of your credit card in games.
It’s best for your child to avoid games that simulate gambling, have casino themes, betting activities or risk-and-reward activities, or use fake money or tokens. Games with gambling themes and activities might lead to gambling in adulthood. You can read more in our articles about good apps, TV, movies, and YouTube for school-age children and good apps, TV, movies and YouTube for teenagers.
How to tell if your teen has gambling problems
It can be tricky to tell when teenagers have gambling problems because they don’t always run into the financial difficulties that adult problem gamblers experience.
But there are warning signs. For example, if your child has a problem with gambling, they might:
- suddenly have more or less money than usual
- start borrowing or taking money from family and friends
- have sleep problems, feel tired or seem low on energy
- be moody or irritable when they’re away from gambling activities
- be doing poorly at school
- withdraw from friends, social activities and events
- be positive about gambling or preoccupied with video arcades, internet gambling sites, sports results or TV poker, or simulated gambling apps or games
- be focused on sports odds instead of sport itself
- be secretive about gambling or deny that there’s a problem.
If there’s a problem, your child might also try to tell you that gambling is better than some of the other things they could be doing. For example, ‘At least I’m not taking drugs, Mum’.
You can get advice from a psychologist, your GP or local problem gambling services. You can also call the Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858, the Gambler’s Help Youthline on 1800 262 376, or Lifeline on 131 114. Gambling Help Online also provides webchat support services.
Risks associated with underage gambling
Low levels of gambling might seem safe for older children and teenagers, and some teenagers who are trying out new experiences do gamble. But gambling in childhood increases the risk of gambling problems in adulthood.
Teens who gamble are at greater risk of other harmful behaviour. This includes:
- anti-social behaviour
- school truancy or poor school achievement
- smoking and drug use and binge drinking
- higher rates of depression and anxiety
- loss of friendships with non-gambling peers.