Gambling’s a problem for 55,000 youngsters
A THIRD of a million Britons have a gambling addiction – and 55,000 of them are children, a report warned.
Younger people are most vulnerable to becoming addicted to placing bets, with 1.7 per cent of 11 to 16-yearolds classified as “problem” gamblers and 2.7 per cent as “at risk, Gambling Commission analysis shows.
Almost a third (31.5 per cent) of youngsters in that age group were classed as “non-problem gamblers”.
More than 300,000 people in the UK have a problem, with on average one gambling addict committing suicide every day, said a report by a House of Lords Select Committee. For each gambler, six other people – two million Britons – suffer harm such as the break-up of family, crime and loss of employment.
A separate report from the Public Accounts Committee, said a further 1.8 million people are “at risk”.
The gambling industry spends £1.5billion a year on advertising, and 60 per cent of its profits come from the five per cent who are already problem or at-risk gamblers.
The report recommended that all new online games should be reviewed for their potential to cause harm and addiction before they can be approved for market use.
It comes as video games have started to incorporate gambling-like features such as virtual currencies.
A Government spokeswoman said: “We are absolutely committed to protecting people from the risks of gambling-related harm and will review the Gambling Act to ensure it is fit for the digital age.”