Responsible gambling advocates across Australia are concerned that social casino games are harmful for young people. Now, a new study by researchers at Adelaide University have discovered that there really is something to be worried about, as these games can encourage underage individuals to wager on real-money gambling activities. Titled Computers in Human Behaviour, the study was led by Dr Daniel King.
It examined the effect that simulated gambling has on young people aged 12 to 17. In addition to looking at smartphone casino games and Facebook apps like Zynga Poker, the study also looked at simulated gambling in video games like Pokemon and Grand Theft Auto. According to the Herald Sun, the study found that simulated gambling is quite popular among underage individuals.
Over the course of the past year, 13% of young people had played these types of games. Over the course of their lifetime, 32% of had played simulated gambling games. "This study examined the potential risks of simulated gambling via digital and social media in terms of its association with monetary gambling and pathological gambling,'' says Dr King.
"Simulated gambling activities were three or more times as popular among those adolescents who recorded measures of pathological gambling." Nearly 40% of students who play simulated gambling games also purchased scratch cards and lottery games. 33% of young people who play these types of games bet on horses while 20% played real-money casino card games like poker and baccarat.
It does seem that young people are being conditioned to gambling without being taught to do so responsibly. There is certainly a linked between simulated gambling and real-money gambling among young people. As such, it is important for parents and public figures to get involved and warn underage individuals about the harm of playing real-money casino games.
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