Article gambling and young people
Series: Gambling and young people

Support for young people who gamble

5 min read

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How can you protect yourself?

If you gamble, it’s important to understand the risks that come with it. It’s easy for gambling to spiral out of control and cause significant problems, such as not having enough money, feeling worried or stressed, and arguments with other people.

That’s why it’s important to find out what you can do to protect yourself from the risks of gambling, even if you don’t think there’s an issue. Recognising that you might have an issue with gambling and getting help early can stop your gambling from getting out of control.

How can we protect young people who gamble?

Parents and other adults in a young person’s life play an important role in helping them develop healthy attitudes towards gambling.

If young people gamble, it’s important for them to understand the risks that come with it. It’s easy for gambling to spiral out of control and cause significant problems, such as not having enough money, feeling worried or stressed, and arguments with other people.

Helping young people recognise they might have an issue with gambling and getting help early can stop their gambling from getting out of control.

How can we protect young people who gamble?

Teachers, youth workers, health professionals and other professionals in a young person’s life play an important role in helping them develop healthy attitudes towards gambling.

If young people gamble, they need to understand the risks that come with it. It’s easy for gambling to spiral out of control and cause significant problems, such as not having enough money, feeling worried or stressed, and arguments with other people.

Helping young people recognise they might have an issue with gambling and getting help early can stop their gambling from getting out of control.

What can you do?

There are lots of things you can do to protect yourself from the risks of gambling. Here are some ways.

Monitor your gambling.

Keeping track of your gambling, including how often you gamble, the time you spend gambling, and the money you spend gambling, is an important first step. If you use more than one online betting account, you may need to check your account statements or your bank account to work out how much you’re spending. Decide whether you’re gambling within your means and start setting limits on your gambling in advance. See Setting Gambling Goals for more information.

Look out for the signs.

You may have noticed some signs that might indicate that you’re developing an issue with your gambling. See some of the Signs of a problem. 

Know the odds.

Gambling comes with risks. Gambling is more risky than the ads make it seem. The more you play, the more you will lose. Understanding the odds of each gambling activity can prevent you from developing issues in the future. See How Gambling Works for more information.

Learn about the harms and ways to reduce them.

Gambling can cause considerable financial, emotional and relationship harms for both you and the people you care about. See Harms from Gambling for more information.

Avoid gambling alone.

When you gamble alone it’s easy to lose track of the amount of money or time you spend gambling. People around you can remind you to take a break when you’ve been gambling for a while.

Participate in other activities.

It’s important to have a close social network of friends who don’t gamble and to do things other than gamble. Make sure you’re also doing other fun activities you like, such as playing sports, creating art, spending time with friends and going outside.

Limit alcohol or drugs while gambling.

Try to avoid drinking alcohol or using drugs while you’re gambling. When you’re under the influence, you might be more likely to spend more money and play for longer than you’d planned.

Take a break.

Stepping back from gambling can give you some perspective and give you some time to think about whether you want to continue gambling.

Talk to someone if you’re worried.

If you’re worried about your gambling, it’s a good idea to talk to someone about it. You can reach out to your family members or friend, or you can see help from a counsellor. They can offer support and advice on the best ways to manage your gambling.

What can you do?

Here are some ways you can support young people who are at risk of experiencing gambling harm.

Avoid gambling with young people.

The NSW Youth Gambling Survey 2020 found that parents are the greatest influence on the gambling of young people. Young people who had gambled in the last 12 months often did so with adults they knew, most commonly parents. It’s therefore important for parents and other adults to avoid gambling with young people or purchasing gambling products like lottery or scratchies for young people.

Reflect on your own attitudes and behaviour.

Young people are more likely to gamble if they see their family members gamble or talk about gambling. As a parent or adult, your attitudes can greatly influence the attitudes of young people and normalise excessive gambling for young people. Take the time to think about the message you’re sending about gambling and consider setting reasonable limits and boundaries around your gambling.

Look out for the signs.

Parents and other adults are in a good position to look out for some of the signs of gambling in young people. See some of the Signs of a problem. 

Start the conversation early.

Starting to have conversations about gambling early on means that it’s easier to talk about it if it does become an issue. Talking to them about gambling ads is a great place to start the conversation. Make sure they always know they can talk to you about their problems and concerns — and that no matter what, you care about them and you won’t judge them. See Starting the Conversation.

Talk about the odds.

Talk with young people about the risks of gambling. Let them know that gambling is more risky than the ads make it seem. They might think that betting always means winning so educating them that the more they play, the more they you will lose is important. Encouraging young people to think understand the odds of each gambling activity can prevent them from developing issues in the future. See How Gambling Works for more information.

Talk about the harms and ways to reduce them.

Explain that gambling can cause considerable financial, emotional and relationship harms for both them and the people they care about. See Harms from Gambling for more information.

Keep devices in shared spaces.

It’s a good idea to keep electronic devices like phones, tablets, and computers in shared spaces in your home. This means that when young people are online, you can keep an eye on what they’re doing. To make sure everyone follows this rule, you can have a family agreement that there are no devices allowed in bedrooms. It’s important to explain to young people that this is to keep them safe online.

Limit access to cash and credit cards.

The NSW Youth Gambling Study 2020 found that most young people under 18 years old who gamble use their pocket money to pay for it. If you’re concerned gambling is an issue, instead of giving them cash, you can use vouchers or even pre-buy tickets for activities they enjoy. It’s also a good idea to keep an eye on their access to credit cards.

Encourage other activities.

It’s important to encourage young people to have a close social network of friends who don’t gamble and do things other than gamble. Support them to do other fun activities they like, such as playing sports, creating art, spending time with friends and going outside.

Activate parental controls.

To limit their exposure to gambling ads, you can adjust online settings on their browser, including Google Chrome and on social media sites like Facebook and Instagram. You can also install general or gambling-specific blocking software to stop access to all online gambling sites, servers and apps on your devices. See Online Protection For Gambling for more information.

Talk to someone if you’re worried.

If you're worried about a young person’s gambling, it's a good idea to talk to someone about it. You can reach out to your family members or friends, or you can seek help from a counsellor. They can offer support and advice on the best ways to help them manage their gambling.

What can you do?

Here are some ways you can support young people who are at risk of experiencing gambling harm.

Encourage parents and other adults to avoid gambling with young people.

The NSW Youth Gambling Survey 2020 found that parents are the greatest influence on the gambling of young people. Young people who had gambled in the last 12 months often did so with adults they knew, most commonly parents. It’s therefore important for parents and other adults to avoid gambling with young people or purchasing gambling products like lottery or scratchies for young people.

Ask parents and other adults to reflect on their own attitudes and behaviour.

Young people are more likely to gamble if they see their family members gamble or talk about gambling. The attitudes of parents and other adults can therefore greatly influence the attitudes of young people and normalise excessive gambling for young people. Encourage parents and other adults to take the time to think about the message they’re sending about gambling and ask them to consider setting reasonable limits and boundaries around their own gambling.

Look out for the signs.

Teachers, youth workers, health professionals and other professionals may be in a good position to look out for some of the signs of gambling in young people. See some of the Signs of a problem. 

Start the conversation early.

Starting to have conversations about gambling early on means that it’s easier to talk about it if it does become an issue. Talking to them about gambling ads is a great place to start the conversation. Make sure they always know they can talk to you about their problems and concerns — and that no matter what, you won’t judge them. See Starting the Conversation.

Talk about the odds.

Talk with young people about the risk of gambling. Let them know that gambling is more risky than the ads make it seem. They might think that betting always means winning so educating them that the more they play, the more they will lose is important. Encouraging young people to understand the odds of each gambling activity can prevent them from developing issues in the future. See How Gambling Works for more information.

Talk about the harms and ways to reduce them.

Explain that gambling can cause considerable financial, emotional and relationship harms for both them and the people they care about. See Harms from Gambling for more information.

Advise parents to keep devices in shared spaces.

Advise parents to keep electronic devices like phones, tablets, and computers in shared spaces in their home. This means that when young people are online, they can keep an eye on what they’re doing. To make sure everyone follows this rule, they can have a family agreement that there are no devices allowed in bedrooms. It’s important for parents to explain to young people that this is to keep them safe online.

Advise parents to limit access to cash and credit cards.

The NSW Youth Gambling Study 2020 found that most young people under 18 years old who gamble use their pocket money to pay for it. If parents are concerned gambling is an issue, they could use vouchers or even pre-buy tickets for activities their children enjoy instead of giving them cash. It’s also a good idea to advise parents and other family members to keep an eye on young people’s access to credit cards.

Encourage other activities.

It’s important to encourage young people to have a close social network of friends who don’t gamble and do things other than gamble. Support them to do other fun activities they like, such as playing sports, creating art, spending time with friends and going outside.

Encourage parents to activate parental controls.

To limit their exposure to gambling ads, parents can adjust online settings on their browser, including Google Chrome and on social media sites like Facebook and Instagram. They can also install general or gambling-specific blocking software to stop access to all online gambling sites, servers and apps on their devices. See Online Protection For Gambling for more information.

What support is available if you think you have an issue?

If you’re worried that you might have an issue with gambling, or if you’re not sure if you have an issue, there is help available. You don’t have to go through it alone. There are many people who can help you, including your family members, friends, teachers, community or religious leaders, school counsellors, or local GPs. They can listen to your concerns, provide advice and help you find the right resources to get the help you need.

You can also get help from online, phone, and face-to-face services that specifically support young people and their families that are dealing with gambling-related issues. All of these services are free and confidential.

Do you want more help?

To learn more how to get help for your gambling, you can start an online chat with us or call the Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858 – free, confidential, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. These services are available to support anyone affected by gambling harm, including family members or friends.

What support is available for young people who have issues with their gambling?

If you’re worried that your child or another young person might have an issue with their gambling, or if you’re not sure, help available for both you and them. You don’t have to go through it alone.

Try to make sure they understand that there are many people that can help them, like their family members, friends, teachers, community or religious leaders, school counsellors, or local GPs.

Often, young people won’t ask for help from parents or other adults when it comes to gambling. This may be because they:

  • may not realise help is available
  • may not believe they have an issue
  • feel ashamed about getting help
  • are worried about other people finding out

This is why the young person you’re concerned about might need your help and support to take the first step. You can refer them to online, phone and face-to-face services that provide support to young people who are dealing with gambling issues and their families. You can reassure them that all these services are free and confidential.

Additionally, you can ask your local Gambling Help Service to attend a school or community event to provide general advice about gambling harm.

Do you want more help?

To learn more about how to support young people, you or your family member or friend can start an online chat with us or call the Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858 – free, confidential, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

These services are available to support anyone affected by gambling harm, including family members or friends like you. It’s not only the person who gambles that can be affected, but the people close to them too. It’s important to take care of yourself when you’re supporting someone else. Check out the family and friends section in our peer support community to connect with people who understand.

What support is available for young people who have issues with their gambling?

If you’re worried that a young person might have an issue with their gambling, or if you’re not sure, help is available. They don’t have to go through it alone

Try to make sure they understand that there are many people that can help them, like their family members, friends, teachers, community or religious leaders, school counsellors, or local GPs.

Often, young people won’t ask for help from teachers, health professionals or other adults when it comes to gambling. This may be because they:

  • may not realise help is available
  • may not believe they have an issue
  • feel ashamed about getting help
  • are worried about other people finding out

This is why the young person you’re concerned about might need your help and support to take the first step. You can refer them to online, phone and face-to-face services that provide support to young people who are dealing with gambling issues and their families. You can reassure them that all these services are free and confidential.

Additionally, you can ask your local Gambling Help Service to attend a school or community event to provide general advice about gambling harm.

Do you want more help?

To learn more about how to support young people, you or the person you’re working with can start an online chat with us or call the Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858 – free, confidential, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

These services are available to support anyone affected by gambling harm, including family members, friends, and professionals like you. It can be hard for professionals to support people with gambling issues. To learn more about how you can help, go to our section on How Professionals Can Help.

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