In the UK, it is illegal for anyone who is under the age of 18 to set up an account in an online bookmaker or online casino and play. This is also true for traditional land-based casinos and bookmakers, but the laws on age differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.
The Real Problem
At oddson.co.uk, we believe that children should not be exposed to the risks which are associated with gambling. Gambling is fun and offers a thrilling experience, but when the financial aspect is added to it, it is important that children are kept away from it. There are many reasons for this and therefore there are laws which prohibit children from gambling for money.
When adults gamble for money, it is different because most adults are able to think rationally. They know their limits and they know when they have to stop. In most cases, adults gamble to have some fun and to relax. Sometimes, they play with their friends and families for a fun and enjoyable experience. Adults basically know what they are doing because they are more responsible than children.
When games have that financial aspect added to them, it becomes more exciting which adults understand very well. But, they also understand the risks and how it can have an impact on their lives in the real world. Basically, they know how much is enough and when they must stop.
On the other hand, children are less aware of things taking place around them. They don’t know what kind of impact such things can have on their lives. The support of parents shields children from impacts that result from their actions and this means that children are more vulnerable to becoming gambling addicts than adults.
A number of studies have proven that children are four times more likely to develop gambling addiction than adults. Therefore, it is essential that they are not exposed to gambling until their reach their legal age for gambling. Underage gambling can be bad and this is the reason it must not be allowed.
How To Prevent Underage Gambling
Parents can take a number of steps to prevent their underage children from becoming compulsive gamblers. These include the following:
Close applications – parents who play online must close apps when children are around. They must exit the software before they move away from the computer so curious children are not able to access the gaming portal.
Do not save passwords – there are web browsers which allow users to save passwords so they can save time when trying to log into their accounts. Although this is a convenient feature, parents must never use it to save passwords for their online gambling accounts.
Create multiple profiles – modern computers allow different profiles to be created so one user cannot access the other users’ profiles or files. Parents must create separate profiles for children so children cannot access gambling software. Parents must always use their own profiles when gambling online.
Install monitoring software – there is a range of software available today which can prevent children from accessing information online that is offensive or not appropriate for their age. Parents must ensure that they install monitoring software so they can prevent their children from visiting casino websites. Some trusted options include Surf Control, Cybersitter and Net Nanny.
