Parental influence over young people’s gambling
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Most parents who gamble do so with their children present.
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A quarter of parents reported that their child had gambled in the past year.
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Children who gamble with their parents are at greater risk of gambling harm.
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The most common behaviours that facilitated adolescent gambling were talking about gambling wins with their children, getting their help to pick ‘lucky numbers’ in keno or lottery, buying them scratchies or lottery tickets and taking them to a gambling venue.
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Despite most parents feeling confident speaking to their children about gambling, they were less likely to talk about the risks of gambling compared to other public health issues.
How parents can influence their children’s gambling behaviour
Here some practical tips for parents and carers to protect young people from gambling harm.
Be a good role model
Children look to their parents to set a good example. Avoid placing bets on their behalf, letting them access your online betting accounts or encouraging them to gamble with you.
Explain how gambling works
Help your child understand that if they gamble, they are likely to lose. Talking about how gambling works and the risks associated with it can help them make better decisions. Encourage them to come to you with any questions they may have about gambling.
Discuss how gambling advertising works
Talking about the marketing strategies used to entice people to gamble can help young people think critically, and resist temptation, when faced with gambling advertising.
Play your child’s video games
Learn about your child’s favourite games – you should know how they work and if they contain simulated gambling or gambling content. By playing the game, you can bond with your child and start a conversation about the risks of gambling if needed.
Limit the amount of online screen time
Create a safer environment by keeping digital devices in a visible shared space in the home. Make sure your children are somewhere you can see them when playing video games and create a plan for screen time. We all need balance in our lives and kids are no exception.
Don’t allow your children to use your credit card
Don’t save your credit card details to the devices your children use for gaming. Some gaming and gambling websites offer in app purchases, and it’s not always obvious that these purchases relate to real money.
Adjust your online security and ad settings
It’s hard for your children to ignore gambling if gambling websites and advertising pop up whenever they’re online. You can block gambling advertising by adjusting your settings on your browser and platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
Blocking access to gambling websites
You can install specialist blocking software and prevent access to all online gambling sites, servers and apps in one go. It’s a great way to help stop kids and young people experimenting with gambling online.
Activate parental controls
With parental controls you can filter access to content and spending on in-game purchases. Use them on computers, mobile devices, TVs, gaming consoles, streaming services and web browsers.
