Statistics show that among our technology savvy generation, gambling is a fast-growing issue, with 500,000 children aged between 11-15 gambling every week with 143,000 experiencing gambling-related harm. Indeed, 33% of all calls to the National Gambling Helpline are made by under-24s.
Gambling is related to a large number of problems for young people, many of them hidden, including social and emotional behavioural problems, low attainment and truancy. This in turn can lead to school reputational problems.
It’s incredible to consider that 64% of under-16s have played an online gambling game in the last seven days. With 96% of children and young people in the UK thought to own a smartphone, gambling has never been more accessible to young people and is the fastest-growing societal issue faced by our younger generation.
What is meant by gambling-related harm?
Gambling-related harm describes how gambling can trigger problematic behaviours, with links to low attainment, truancy, poor mental health, drug and alcohol use, anti-social behaviour and, in the extreme, criminal convictions or suicide.
The impacts of gambling-related harm are not felt in isolation, with research suggesting that for every problem gambler it is thought that a further 10 people are directly affected. It can cause disruptive relationships with family and other difficulties in personal and social lives.
The impact of problematic gambling can also cause damage to the reputation and brand of schools.
Why is it important to address problem gambling in children?
Gambling, normalised through widespread placement of gambling advertisements in sport, is widely accessible. However, the secretive nature of gambling and gambling-related harm means they often go undetected.
Currently curriculums do not focus on this addiction and EPIC believes it is critical young people can access reliable advice and information. EPIC is eager to encourage proactive gambling harm mitigation initiatives. Driving awareness of the dangers associated with gambling is pivotal in inspiring responsible gambling amongst young people.
EPIC is proud to work across a range of sectors, from professional sports to armed forces, with clients including SkyBet, EFL, RFL, PCA, Chelsea Academy and prestigious schools such as Harrow, to name but a few.
EPIC Risk Management is an independent gambling harm minimisation consultancy in the UK, focusing on the highest prevalent sectors. EPIC identify and reduce the brand, reputational, financial and human risks caused by gambling in the workplace.
EPIC can create bespoke education and awareness packages designed to inform and safeguard young people, and their educators, around the growing issue of problematic gambling. This includes school talks that are inspiring and hard hitting, which also includes confidential data capture and a bespoke informative report.
For more information, see the contact details below and follow EPIC Risk Management on Twitter (@epicpgc) for regular updates. They are also exhibiting at HMC Autumn Conference. For further info, visit epicriskmanagement.com, email info@epicriskmanagement.com or call 01942 494913.
