Almost half of all gamblers between the ages of 18 and 24 say they have taken on more risks than they can afford to lose. This is one of a series of shocking statistics about young gamblers revealed in a new study.
Among young people who gambled in the past 12 months, 42% said they had taken a financial risk due to gambling, and 36% said they had borrowed money or sold something they owned to place a bet.
Other findings show that the majority of gamblers aged 18 to 24 say they feel guilty about their behavior, and 39% have experienced a mental health problem related to gambling in the past year. He said he did. One-third of those surveyed said they had gambled on sports.
Recent statistics show that the number of young people gambling is falling, with the Gambling Commission reporting in March that 28.9% of 16-24 year olds reported gambling in the previous month, compared to 2019. This was down from 35.8% during the same period. The latest research suggests that the concerns of young people who continue to bet are far greater than those of older demographics.
The figures were recorded by Ipsos and commissioned by industry funding body GambleAware. These are likely to cause concern to those working to prevent gambling harm in the UK and increase calls for change. One of the proposals considered as part of the government’s Gambling Reform Act was a series of protections for gamblers under the age of 25, including limits on the stakes allowed at online casinos. Already long overdue, the GRA was not mentioned in last month’s King’s Speech.
GambleAware describes itself as “the leading independent charity and strategic commissioner for gambling victim education”. Last year, the NHS withdrew from its “dual funding” relationship with GambleAware for the National Gambling Treatment Service, citing complaints from patients.
GambleAware CEO Zoe Osmond has described gambling as a “serious public health issue” and the organization’s research aims to strengthen that idea in the public’s imagination. It is.
GambleAware advocates for greater emphasis on communication and encourages those who have experienced gambling harm to talk about it. The survey found that almost two-thirds (64%) of respondents who experienced gambling problems had never told anyone about their concerns.
GambleAware also advocates for changing language around the harms of gambling, “avoiding pathologizing” people with problems, avoiding words such as “addict” and “bulimia,” and “developing solutions.” We encourage people to share responsibility in finding solutions.
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Mr Osmond said: ‘As a hidden addiction, the harms of gambling can be very difficult to spot from the outside. It is therefore important that those affected are aware of the wide range of support services available and feel safe coming forward. is important.
“Anyone can be harmed by gambling, but the first step is to open up and have the first conversation, ideally as soon as possible.”
