The gambling industry in the United Kingdom has bolstered in recent years, largely due to the increased penetration of the internet and the presence of online gambling.
In modern society, children can be exposed to gambling anywhere and at any given time.
Video games promote and utilise gambling-style content and rewards, TV commercials encourage betting activity and even amusement parks advertise the chance of winning toys and prizes.
Despite being seen as an ‘adult only’ zone, the rise in betting activity has had a detrimental impact on children, leading to a childhood gambling epidemic.
A study carried out by the Gambling Commission in 2019 revealed that up to 450,000 children between the ages of 11 and 16 bet regularly, which is said to dwarf the number of children who drink, smoke and take drugs.
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Featured image: JESHOOTS.com, via Wikimedia Commons
