The Number of Gambling Children has Quadrupled in 2 Years

Shockingly, a research in the UK found that the number of gambling children in the isles has quadrupled in just 2 years. According to the Gambling Commission, the number of children who have gambling problems is on the rise. This is an issue which must not be taken lightly. The Church of England got involved with the story and are warning as many people as they can. Let’s take a look. 

If you’ve been following the latest online gambling news, you’ll actually find this story easier to follow. That’s because we’ve previously made reports on how much TV exposure gambling advertisements have. These ads are seen throughout sporting events and many youth watch these. With it in their mind that it’s so easy to place a bet and win big, they listen to the ads.

How to stop Gambling Children, the Statistics

To make it more clear for you, when we’re talking about gambling children, we don’t mean 17 year olds who will be 18 in a few months. The research was made for those aged between 11-16, with the total number reaching 55,000 in the UK.

It also found that 70,000 youngsters were at risk and 450,000 children bet regularly. That’s one in every 7 child aged 11-16.

According to the report, on average, a child will spend £16 per week on either bingo, fruit machines, betting shops and online. It’s really quite shocking considering it is illegal for those aged under 18.

The Church of England found this deeply concerning and have made a statement for families to take the dangers of gambling seriously. Here’s a few words from the Bishop of St Albans, Alan Smith:

“We need to start taking the dangers of gambling seriously – 55,000 children classed as problem gamblers is a generational scandal.”

The Gambling Commission also stated that from the children they spoke to, approximately 2/3rds of them say they gamble because of what they saw on TV. Another form of gambling, is what video games may bring.

Some games, such as FIFA 19 or Fortnite, offer boxes or packs in which you pay real money for a mystery player or equipment. If the buyer is lucky, he may get one of the best in the game. But more commonly, he won’t receive anything spectacular, just lose his money.

It’s high-time for the UK to take a more serious approach and try to reduce the number of gambling children. Hopefully, there will be more strict punishments on betting shops, pubs and online casinos who allow such things in the first place.