Do your children have smartphones? Do they use a laptop? Do they have accounts on social networking sites? Do they play multiplayer computer games?
If you answered affirmatively to at least one of the questions, you should clearly understand the following:
They know that it is possible to gamble on the Internet.
It would be best if you did not comfort yourself thinking that your child has good performance in school, is engaged in sports activities, and communicates with children from decent families since the victims of problem gambling are not only those who grow up in troubled families.
- According to a report by the UK Gambling Commission published in 2016, 63% of children have seen advertisements for gambling on social networks.
- 57% of teenagers have faced similar advertisements on other websites.
- Every tenth child participated in gambling campaigns on social networks or video hosting sites.
Teens quickly master the Internet and computer technologies. They willingly test everything new that they come across on the Internet. Advertising describes gambling as fun, profitable, and safe. Such positioning makes children register with online casinos, make bets, play poker, and purchase lottery tickets.
You may argue insisting that gambling operators control the age of customers. Reputable casinos prohibit teens from opening accounts. However, even integral and honest gambling houses verify accounts only when customers withdraw money. Owners of numerous illegal gambling portals do not fill their heads with such rubbish.
Thus, parents should take the situation under control and take measures to protect their children from online gambling.
How to Prevent Children from Gambling?
We can offer our readers practical tips on preventing their children from online gambling.
- When you allow your son or daughter to use the Internet, determine the list of sites he or she can visit. You should monitor whether they follow the rules. Any violations must be stopped immediately.
- You should become familiar with the sites that children are interested in. Some may seem harmless, but they may offer some unacceptable content. In particular, many computer games offer paid goods and encourage players to purchase them. Users spend vast amounts of money on weapons, armor, ammunition, and other items to achieve the highest results. This trend has all the signs of gambling addiction.
- Install software that allows users to control the actions of all family members on the Internet. Many famous developers offer high-quality software with powerful features. Netnanny.com, gamblock.com, SlotTracker, and other products are worth considering.
- It would be best if you told your child that the participation of teens in gambling is illegal. You should also explain that regulatory authorities can monitor their activities on the Internet.
- Explain to your son or daughter the principles of operation of online casinos. Make it clear that losses invariably follow victories. Children should understand that they cannot earn money with the help of online gambling.
- Demonstrate to them that the chances of winning the lottery or hitting the jackpot at an online casino are highly insignificant.
- Check all bank card transactions. You should know what your children spend their pocket money on. Do not let them use your e-wallets.
- Do not show your child a bad example. If you like online gambling, do not allow your son or daughter to notice this. Children always imitate their parents. Don't advertise gambling.
If it seems to you that the situation gets out of control, do not hesitate to ask for help from professionals. Specialists from GamCare, Gamblers Anonymous, Gambling Therapy, Gamble Aware, and other specialized organizations will be happy to help you with advice or practical actions.
Conclusion
The sad truth is that nobody except you can protect your child from online gambling. Moreover, the Internet is full of fraudulent gambling operators and scammers who do not care about the age of customers. They will happily allow your children to play video slots, make a bet on the outcome of the nearest football match, sit down at a virtual poker table, or sell them lottery tickets.
Do not let chips fall where they may. You need to know what your child is doing on the Internet. Please do not rely on their common sense and responsibility. It would be best if you took control of everything.
We invite parents to discuss this topic in the comments and using the Casinoz forum. Share your personal experience, tell about your problems, and feel free to ask questions.