Gambling and children is a difficult topic to tackle. Everyone knows that there are no circumstances where children should gamble. However, underage gambling is still an issue.
But are governments, companies, regulators, parents and society doing enough to prevent this? We’re going to take a look at some of the ways in which underage gambling is being dealt with. And, if you’re a parent, we’re going to give you some insight into what you can do too.
Gambling age limits
National and federal governments in every corner of the globe realise that restrictions should be put on the age people can gamble.
However, the exact age you can gamble does tend to differ in different regions. There are a lot of different reasons for this, both cultural and historical. It is like the differing age limits for alcohol and many other things.
In most countries, the age limit is set at 18 years of age for gambling. However, there are some notable exceptions. Most states in the United States have an age limit of 21 years, like their legal minimum age for alcohol consumption. And then there are some countries that also have 19 or 20 years as their limits too.
Gambling websites and children
Websites that offer gambling products are strictly prohibited from offering their services to those who are underage. This is often strictly enforced by regulatory authorities. They do this by having age verification tools when you sign up. This also helps to confirm identities in an effort to prevent money laundering.
However, there is also the chance that children may gamble using an adult’s account. If the online site finds this out, they will freeze that account and all winnings will be forfeited. The account holder will not be able to set up another account.
What can parents and guardians do when it comes to gambling and children?
If you’ve got a young person under your care, it’s important to talk about difficult issues. There’s no way to shield a child from gambling. It’s all around them in advertising and they’ll hear their friends talking about it too.
Your best bet is to tackle the issue head on. Tell them that gambling is designed to make sure players lose more than they get back. Also make sure that they know enjoying sports is an end unto itself, gambling shouldn’t be used to enhance it. And touch on the fact that gambling can be dangerous and people can develop addictions.
If you gamble yourself, never talk about your gambling around your child. And make sure you have a password your child doesn’t know protecting your online gambling site log ins from them.
You can also use parental controls on all the devices they have access to so they can’t get onto gambling websites. And there are specific software packages you can get that restrict access to gambling websites too.
Problem gambling resources
If you’re worried that you, a loved one or someone who’s underage has or is developing a gambling problem, it’s important to get help.
There are professional organisations available to help you. For instance, you can visit the Be Gamble Aware website or call 0808 8020 133. If you’re based in another country, you can find international gambling help resources here.
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