Underage gambling linked to higher risk of harm in adulthood: Australian research

CANBERRA, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) — A majority of young Australians who gamble regularly report experiencing gambling harms, government research has found.
In research published on Thursday, the Australian Gambling Research Center (AGRC) surveyed 1,168 people aged 16-35 who had gambled in the past year on their gambling and alcohol consumption habits.
It found that 68 percent of respondents reported experiencing gambling harms, such as gambling more money they could afford to lose or feeling guilty or stressed about their gambling, and that 45 percent gamble weekly.
Twenty-nine percent of participants in the survey said they gambled for the first time before the legal age of 18 and 75 percent said they consumed alcohol before 18.
The research found that respondents who started gambling before turning 18 were at a higher risk of experiencing gambling harms as an adult.
Kei Sakata, acting executive manager at the AGRC, a subsidiary of the government-funded Australian Institute of Family Studies, said an adult enabling a 16 or 17-year-old to gamble might feel safe but could result in long-term negative outcomes.
“What can start as a relatively controlled activity can easily turn into one that impacts finances, relationships and participation in work and education,” he said in a statement.
Research published by Melbourne-based think tank the Grattan Institute earlier in September found that the average Australian adult loses 1,635 Australian dollars (1,091.4 U.S. dollars) to gambling every year, the highest average loss in the world.
According to the AGRC survey, slot machines are the most popular form of gambling participation, with 76 percent of male and female respondents reporting having used one in the last 12 months.
Three-quarters of male participants said they had gambled on sports in the last 12 months compared to 39 percent of females. Twenty-nine percent of males said they gamble on sports events every week. ■