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Gambling is risking money or something else of value on an activity that has an uncertain outcome. That can mean a lot of things. Playing cards or video games for money, buying raffle tickets, betting on who's going to win a pool match, or betting your in-game video purchases or digital currency on an NHL hockey game—it's all gambling.
Most young people (aged 15 to 24 years) don't think of themselves as gamblers. After all, they don't gamble at casinos, bars, or racetracks the way many adults do. Yet a lot of young people have been gambling for years. Even though the average legal age for gambling is 19 in many provinces in Canada, young people can easily access unregulated and regulated gambling websites.
Most young people are more exposed to the opportunity to practice gambling regardless of the restrictions. The most common ways to gamble in this age group is in:
- sports betting
- crypto-currency trading
- buying virtual coins to advance to a higher level in a game
- using apps to win real-life rewards, such as meals, cash, items, and show tickets
A 2016 Canadian Youth Gambling Survey showed that 4 out of 10 teenagers had participated in some form of gambling in the past 3 months. Also, about 3 out of 10 of young students participate in some form of gambling. Nearly 5 out of 10 young people, aged 15 to 24 years, have gambled at least once.
This suggests that children and teens are attracted towards gambling activities. Many appear to participate in it more than occasionally. It’s also understood that young people as young as 10 to 24 years are more likely to experience problems from gambling than adults.
With gambling more accessible online and more common in our culture, these statistics raise concern over the risk of young people experiencing harm from gambling.
Why children and young people gamble
Young people may gamble because of peer pressure or boredom. They may also do it to cope with unwanted emotions, avoid problems, or be misled by the belief they can make money. These reasons for gambling can lead to problem gambling.
Online and sports gambling has gone up dramatically over recent years. Another major risk factor for children and young people is that gambling is becoming easier to access and more accepted in society.
The more common gambling appears to young people in any community, while being easy to access, the more the potential to distort any understanding of risk or harm linked to it.
If you gamble for reasons other than temporary fun with friends, you can be at a higher risk for developing problems.
Video games and gambling
Gambling-like features in video games that both younger people and adults commonly enjoy are becoming a concern. Gaming and gambling now share similar features, such as how they’re presented, what features you can interact with, and outcomes based on skill or chance.
Links have been made between gaming and gambling. If you have a problem with gaming as a young person, you’re at higher risk for problem gambling later in life.
Loot boxes
An increasingly common part of video games are loot boxes. These resemble gambling as they often require in-game coins or tokens or that you buy tokens to help you go further in the game.
When you get loot box items they can help your odds of winning in the game. Or they may offer little to no advantage to your experience.
Like gambling, loot boxes introduce elements of chance to a game. This is done through random incentives and often come with audible and graphic effects like those used in electronic gambling machines (EMG’s). These are added to enhance your experience in the game.
Studies show that when video games include features like loot boxes, and you play a lot, it can increase your risk of developing gambling problems. This is linked to making it feel normal to exchange virtual or real currency (tokens, coins, money) for items of varying values in a game. This risk is similar for both adults and young people.
When you buy loot boxes instead of earning them it puts you at greater risk of starting to gamble or having related problems.
Children and young people may not fully understand the reward systems and how loot boxes work. This poses a significant risk towards future problems with gambling.
What may contribute to problem gambling
Studies show that some groups of young people are at higher risk for developing more serious gambling problems. For example:
- young people with learning disorders
- indigenous young people living in urban areas
- young people living with adverse childhood experiences, substance use related harms, or depression and anxiety
Young people with gambling problems may also have trouble in other areas of their lives where they need support. These could include health concerns, financial problems, feeling lonely, mood swings, school issues, using digital technology too much, or more conflicts with their parents or guardians.
Access to gambling in unregulated online gambling and features in many video games make it more available to younger people. As gambling becomes more common in our culture, all children and young people are at a higher risk of early exposure to gambling and potential problems later.
Where to get help
If you're worried that you or someone you know may be having problems with gambling, there's help available. Addiction treatment services are voluntary and confidential. For more information and to find an addiction services office near you, call the Addiction Help Line. Help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
To get more information about gambling and young people, visit
Growing up online, and
GameSense Alberta | Responsible Gambling.
If you're trying to cut down on how much you gamble, you can use
Mobile monitor your gambling & urges (MYGU). It's anonymous (private), free, and easy to use.
