According to McGill University study, gambling is now more prevalent in teen culture than smoking, drinking or drugs. Their survey of Montreal-area students showed that 30 per cent of grade 7 students gamble at least once a week; and adolescents are two to four times more likely than adults to become problem gamblers.
Technically savvy young people are turning increasingly to Internet gambling sites, which are easy, convenient and anonymous. In a 2001 MNet survey of students’ Internet habits, two in ten secondary students reported having visited a site that accepted bets. Most gambling sites only require a major credit card, which many university and even high school students possess.
Although Internet gambling by minors is illegal in Canada and the United States, enforcement can be difficult. Young people often conceal their age and location when registering on Internet gaming sites. In a 2002 study of 100 betting sites, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission found that 20 per cent of the sites posted no warning about age restrictions and most had no effective mechanisms to prevent minors from entering.
Kids today don’t have to look far to find Internet gambling sites. Banner ads and pop-ups for casinos are everywhere on the Web, and often appear on sites popular with teens and even younger children. Many kids use sports betting sites where weekly winners are ranked and earn prizes. These sites are not considered to be hosting ‘real’ gambling activities because visitors don’t play for cash. Nevertheless, kids learn how to bet on these sites, which also often link to online casinos.
“Neopets.com,” an immensely popular site with pre-teens in North America, allows visitors to create pets and then collect ‘Neopoints’ to spend on them. The games area offers a section called ‘luck / chance’ where kids can play gambling-based games such as ‘Neopoker,’ ‘JubJub Blackjack’ and ‘Diceroo.’ In the past, Neopets has encouraged young users to visit and register with sponsor sites, which also include online gambling and casino sites.
Why would a site aimed at eight- to twelve-year-olds promote gambling and adult betting sites? The answer is ‘grooming.’ The betting industry is one of the Web’s biggest money-makers, and predictions are that Internet gambling will increase tenfold over the next few years. Grooming activities help create a generation of kids who find gambling an attractive and familiar online activity. The gambling industry does not admit openly that it is targeting kids. However, an Internet gambling conference in Toronto in 2001 often referred to young people and ‘untapped markets.’
Tips for teachers
- Discuss gambling and its potential risks with older students.
- Remind them that it is illegal for them to gamble online.
- The U.S. Federal Trade Commission advises adults to convey to kids the following risks associated with online gambling:
You can lose your money
Online gambling operations are in business to make a profit. They take in more money than they pay out.
You can ruin a good credit rating
Online gambling generally requires the use of a credit card. If kids rack up debts online, they could ruin their credit rating – or their parents’.
Online gambling can be addictive
Internet gambling is a solitary activity. People can gamble uninterrupted and undetected for hours at a time. Gambling in isolation and using credit may lead to addictive gambling patterns.
Gambling is illegal for kids
The United States (and Canada) prohibits gambling by minors. That’s why gambling sites don’t pay out to kids and go to great lengths to verify the age of any winner.
Know the Risks
Privacy invasions | Pornography | Cyberbullying | Online predators | Spam | Misinformation | Violent and hateful content | Gambling | Reporting trouble
