GambleAware wants clearer delineation between gaming and gambling

GambleAware has revealed the findings of a new survey that has focused on analyzing how children and young people are impacted by gambling in Great Britain. The research, carried out with the help of CultureStudio Research and Sherbet Research, and entitled "Qualitative Research on the Lived Experience and Views of Gambling among Children and Young People," has taken a closer look at the normalization of gambling in children’s lives.

Gambling, the survey found out, indicated that 96% of 11-14-year-olds in Great Britain had seen gambling marketing materials, but only 38% were aware that there was associated health information or responsible gambling messaging as part of those same gambling adverts.

Gambling advertisements, the survey argued, were "eye-catching" in nature and it made it harder for young people and children to distinguish gambling adverts from gaming adverts. The gambling industry has also made generous use of the "gaming" as its preferred term for describing its products. Commenting on the research, GambleAware CEO Zoë Osmond:

"This research shows that gambling content is now part of many children’s lives. This is worrying as early exposure to gambling can normalise gambling for children at a young age, and lead to problems."

Yet, GambleAware and the survey addressed the issue with the blurring of the lines between the terms. Bright, loud, and eye-catching adverts mean that younger people and even children are drawn in. The survey also spoke with children of various ages.

In the case of one boy, aged 15-16, the respondent said that gambling adverts were made to look like a game, not gambling.

"Many of the children and young people who took part in the research said they would like more education on gambling harm in schools. They also said they wanted to have more information about where they can get support if needed," the boy said, quoted by GambleAware and the survey.

Another girl, aged 13-14, pointed out to the problem with awareness about gambling among young children. "They didn’t give us a lot of information about it," she explained. Early exposure to gambling is already known to have an impact on people aged 13-25, and make them, as a result, far more likely to experience gambling harm in their time – 2.3 times more likely, in fact.

Research authors Nicki Karet from Sherbet Research, Dr Barbie Clarke from Family Kids & Youth, and CultureStudio Research Hanna Chalmers all chimed in to shed more light on the findings.

Chalmers explained that the research had sought to illustrate and focus on lived experiences and the gambling harms suffered by children. Karet added that the grey area between "online gambling" and "gambling-like gaming" was confusing and made it harder for children to differentiate between the two and steer clear of misleading products.

Clarke added that there are vulnerable children who may be even more likely to struggle with controlling or resisting gambling. The report’s mission is clear – to accentuate the need for a clearer and stronger regulatory framework that ensures that gambling advertisement is made safer for children.

An upcoming review of the gambling industry in the United Kingdom is due to be published in several months and outlines the new laws, guidelines and rules for the industry with a clear mandate for protecting vulnerable consumers.

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