Canadian Parents Mixed About Underage Gambling
A study that investigates parents' attitude to youth gambling in Canada showed interesting results.
According to the research, the Parents as Partners study revealed that underage gambling was low on the list of priorities compared to other risks such as unsafe sex and drug abuse.
2,700 Canadian parents were interviewed and it was clear across the board that many were simply unaware of the dangers of underage gambling, especially in view of expanding new technologies available to teenagers today.
"Canada is a world leader in researching and understanding gambling behaviours, and this study looking at parents of teens is a global first," said the Co-Director of the International Center for Youth Gambling Problems and High Risk Behaviours at Mc Gill University.
"However, while there are some resources on youth gambling currently available for parents, and other resources being developed, this is still an emerging area..
Another expert on the subject, Eric Meerkamper, said that parents should be more aware of the growth of underage gambling activities on social networks such as Facebook.
"Encouraging parents to speak with their children about gambling is particularly important since unregulated online opportunities for youth gambling are growing at a phenomenal rate," he said.
Parents are even being discouraged to give their children lottery tickets for Christmas for fears of encouraging later gambling habits. Lottery tickets are regular stocking stuffers and problem gambling groups are using the holiday season to drive home their preventative messages.
