Parental Guides
10 Things To Look For and 10 Things To Do
The Early Years
The digital world that we live in can be a minefield for families and parents/carers. The way in which children ‘game’ now is completely different to how modern day parents/carers would have experienced.
The ‘monetization’ of gaming is at the forefront of research and there are increasing concerns surrounding online gaming and the subsequent links this has with underage gambling.
10 Signs for Parents to Look For
Disordered gambling is sometimes referred to as the ‘silent killer’. Unlike drug or alcohol addictions the signs are sometimes harder to spot and if not dealt with at an early age can have a devastating effect on both the gambler and their families later on in life.
10 Top Tips for Parents
If you think that your child may be at risk of developing a gaming addiction then there are a series of measures that you can put in place. This is by no means an exhaustive list but just some strategies that could ensure a potential situation does not escalate.
Off to University
Recognising the early warning signs and putting barriers in place is the key to supporting a youngster who is at risk of developing a gambling addiction. For many this may be the first time living away from home; in possession of a relatively large sum of money and being responsible for managing their own finances.
Supporting from a distance can be challenging but using the advice and guidance from the ‘Early Years’ and ‘Preparing for 18’ programmes may make this easier to manage.
The Disordered Gambler
Not all gambling products are the same. Some are a lot more addictive than others.
The House of Lords report Gambling Harm – Time for Action found the prevalence of problem gambling in online gambling or betting is 3.5%, in comparison to the prevalence of 0.7% of problem gamblers across the population. The prevalence rate for online gambling on slots, casino or bingo games is considerably higher at 9.2%.
The most harmful products include:
- Online slots and casino style games
- Fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs)
- In play sports betting
These products are designed to keep people playing and are highly addictive. They contain a range of design features such as near misses, losses disguised as wins and free spins to name but a few. Coupled with the high bet frequency and the speed of play they may lead to people developing a gambling disorder in a much shorter space of time.
“These products are designed to make play rapid, continuous and encourages repetitive betting and loss chasing. It impairs decision making and self-control. It is typically played in isolation”
Dr Matt Gaskell, Clinical Lead and Consultant Psychologist at The NHS Northern Gambling Service
Left To Their Own Devices
If you are concerned about the amount of time your son/daughter is spending gaming online or the content they are accessing then as a parent/carer you can set up various controls on their devices. Any restrictions that you put in place must be monitored on a regular basis. Our children are very resourceful and with the best will in the world any barriers that we set up are always at risk of being switched off.
Parental Guides continued…
Preparing For 18 – Recognising The Signs
The Warning Signs
93% of 11 to 16 year olds play games online. The digital world that we live in can be a minefield for families and parents/carers. The way in which children ‘game’ now is completely different to how modern day parents/carers would have experienced. The ‘monetization’ of gaming is at the forefront of research and there are increasing concerns surrounding online gaming and the subsequent links this has with underage gambling.
A recent report found that children who enjoyed the risk of simulated online gaming were more likely to gamble later on in life. Almost half a million children in England and Wales are gambling regularly, with an estimated 55,000 children aged 11 to 16 in the UK addicted to gambling (Gambling Commission 2018).
Disordered gambling is sometimes referred to as the ‘silent killer’. Unlike drug or alcohol addictions the signs are sometimes harder to spot and if not dealt with at an early age can have a devastating affect on both the gambler and their families later on in life.
10 Things To Look For – Preparing For 18
Excessive use of devices, lying about the amount of time spent online and isolated behaviour
Spending money online without permission
Moody, aggressive and argumentative behaviour
Change in attitude to school
‘The Look’, zoned out, greyness, looking ill, loss of weight and not taking pride in appearance
Compulsive eating and not eating healthily
Impatient and not prepared to wait – nothing is ever good enough
Becoming disengaged with family life
Obsessive behaviour
Dishonesty – telling lies/stealing things
10 Things To Do – Preparing For 18
If you are able to recognise the early warning signs associated with both gaming and gambling addictions, then it is not too late to put barriers and preventative measures in place. Poor financial decisions made when turning 18 can potentially have devastating life-changing implications.
This is by no means an exhaustive list but just some strategies that could ensure a potential situation does not escalate.
Become the Expert – do your research, find out what types of games your child is playing. Does the game contain gambling style mechanics?
Don’t do it on your own – get help and speak to others who may have experience in this area. Attend a Peer Support group such as GamFam, Gambler’s Anonymous, Gam Anon or Gamblers in Recovery.
Open a bank account that has gambling blocks enabled and set up a shared access arrangement.
Register with Gamstop when child turns 18, set up parental controls on their devices and register with Gamban (see www.gamfam.org.uk for further details)
Self-exclude from high street betting/casino shops (multiple areas)
Register with a credit reference agency – for example Credit Monitor, Clear Score or Experian – this will allow you to monitor your child’s credit score and enable you to track any activity such as opening new accounts or applying for loans etc.
Monitor letters that arrive – banks, loans etc. This is often the first obvious sign of excessive spending.
Monitor activity on social media as this can sometimes give you an idea of their activity.
Visit the GP – Although both gaming/gambling addictions are now recognised as mental health and wellbeing disorders, some doctors may not be experts in these areas – families can self-refer to NHS Gaming and Gambling Clinics.
DO NOT LEND ANY MONEY/PAY BACK DEBT IF YOU THINK IT WILL BE USED TO GAMBLE
Contact Us
If you need help in gaining a better understanding and would like to talk to someone who can relate to your situation please contact us.
Please do get in touch as it could be the start towards your own recovery.
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